Raymond bent down, scooped Isabella into his arms, and carried her toward his room, while the other man took his leave. As her vision blurred and consciousness slipped away, she weakly reached up to touch his face, whispering, "Oh my god... so handsome..."
He tried shaking her awake, but she was unresponsive. Laying her gently on the bed, he immediately pulled out his phone and made a call.
"Oh my gosh, Ray," a groaning voice came through the line. "Can't a guy get some peace and quiet for just one night?"
"Get over here. Now," Raymond commanded, his voice firm and urgent.
"Alright, alright! What's the emergency?"
"I think she was drugged. She just collapsed and passed out," Raymond explained, his eyes never leaving her face.
Liam sounded genuinely surprised. "She? Who is this lady? Wait, did I hear that right?"
"Don't make me repeat myself," Raymond warned lowly.
"Okay, okay! I hear you. What was her reaction right before she passed out? Describe it to me."
Raymond recounted every detail of her behavior in those final moments.
"Thank god," Liam sighed in relief. "At least it wasn't an aphrodisiac. So..."
Before Liam could finish, Raymond ended the call. He then called room service to assist in changing her clothes, stepping outside to wait for his friend to arrive.
Liam pulled up just as the staff finished. He walked into the bedroom and examined Isabella carefully, checking her pulse and breathing.
"She's going to be fine," Liam announced finally. "It's just a hallucinogenic drug."
Raymond let out a heavy breath, the tension visibly leaving his shoulders. "A hallucinogenic drug?" he repeated, his tone dark and dangerous.
"It's not lethal, but it's potent," Liam explained, his expression turning serious. "She'll sleep it off. But when she wakes up, she might be confused, or her memories might be distorted—she might even recall things that never actually happened."
Raymond walked to the bedside, gazing down at her peaceful face. His mind replayed the image of her touching his face and calling him handsome. A strange, unfamiliar warmth stirred in his chest.
"So," Liam leaned against the wall, a playful smirk returning to his lips. "Are you going to tell me who she is, or do I have to guess? I know every woman in your life, Ray, and I've definitely never seen this one."
Raymond didn't look away from her. "Her name is Isabella."
"Isabella..." Liam tasted the name. "Pretty name for a pretty face. But how did she end up drugged and in your arms?"
Raymond frowned, his jaw tightening. "I don't know yet. But I will find out. And when I do..." He left the sentence hanging, the threat implicit and deadly.
Pulling out his phone again, his face hardened into an emotionless mask. He made another call, barking orders sharply. "Investigate what happened immediately. I want every detail."
It didn't take long for Frank to send over the report. The truth was even uglier than Raymond had feared.
Isabella had been drugged by her own sister. She was meant to be delivered as a sacrifice to the most powerful and dangerous figure in the entertainment industry—the owner himself. She was supposed to be taken straight to Westley's room.
Raymond read the words, his eyes turning bloodshot with fury. "So... she was meant for Westley?" he growled, the temperature in the room seeming to plummet. "Her own sister sold her out like livestock?"
Liam whistled lowly, looking shocked. "Westley? That old pervert? The one who trades fame for young girls? If you hadn't found her, Ray... she would have been destroyed."
Raymond clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white. The betrayal by her own family ignited a rage he hadn't felt in years. He looked at Isabella, sleeping soundly, completely unaware of the disaster she had narrowly escaped.
"Nobody touches what is mine," Raymond said coldly. "And nobody hurts her and gets away with it."
He brought the phone back to his ear, his voice like ice. "Nicole. Make sure Florence Maxwell disappears from the entertainment circle tonight. Completely. I never want to hear that name or see her face ever again."
He hung up without waiting for a response.
Liam raised an eyebrow, looking impressed but slightly alarmed. "Wow. You didn't even give her 24 hours? Usually, you make them squirm a little first."
"She tried to hand Isabella over to that beast," Raymond said, turning his gaze back to the sleeping girl, his expression softening instantly. "Being erased from the industry is the lightest punishment she deserves."
The room fell silent, heavy with the weight of his wrath. Raymond sat on the edge of the bed, staring at her delicate features. He gently brushed a stray lock of hair away from her forehead.
"You're safe now," he whispered, a stark contrast to the ruthless tycoon who had just issued a professional death sentence.
Standing by the door, Liam was completely stunned, his jaw nearly hitting the floor. He rubbed his eyes and looked again, unable to process what he was seeing.
"Wow," he muttered, shaking his head. "I must have inhaled some of that drug too, because I seriously cannot believe my eyes."
Raymond shot him a sharp glare. "What are you rambling about?"
"I'm talking about you, Ray!" Liam gestured wildly. "The cold, ruthless Ice King who never lets anyone within ten feet of him... sitting there gently caressing a girl's hair? Is this real? Am I dreaming?"
Raymond ignored the teasing and carefully pulled the blanket higher over her shoulders.
"Get out if you have nothing useful to say," he ordered, though the usual bite was gone from his voice.
Liam chuckled, raising his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright, I'm going. But don't think this is over. I am going to find out exactly who this Isabella is, and how she managed to melt your frozen heart."
He turned to leave but paused at the door, his tone shifting back to business.
"By the way," Liam said seriously. "Florence is handled, but what about Westley? He was the one waiting for her, after all. Should we take care of him too?"
Raymond's eyes darkened instantly, a terrifying glint flashing within them.
"Don't worry," he said coldly. "I haven't forgotten about that old pig. He dared to think of touching my woman... I will make him pay dearly. He won't just lose his business; he will lose everything he has."
Satisfied, Liam nodded and finally left, closing the door softly behind him.
Raymond was alone with Isabella again. And there, by her bedside, he sat all night long, watching her sleep, refusing to leave her side even for a moment.