Raymond’s eyes fluttered slowly opened to stare up at what he could make out as a white ceiling. It was hard to tell since the room was dimly lit. The only source of light was from a lamp somewhere in the room. He tried to sit up and felt a dull throbbing pain in his stomach and the memory of what happened raced through his semi-dazed mind. Charmaine! He had to find out whether she was alright. He lifted his arm, intending to pull himself up when he felt something heavy on it. Turning slightly, he saw a familiar head lying on his arm. Sighing with relief, he fell back onto the bed.

Charmaine felt him move underneath her and her eyes found his immediately. “You’re awake,” she said softly breaking into a wide smile.

“Where am I?” Raymond asked weakly, his head scanning the room.

Charmaine got up from her chair to sit on the bed besides him, “You’re in my house.”

“Your house?” he asked with alarm pushing the covers back. “What am I doing here?”

Charmaine placed her hands on his arm to steady him, “You’ve been shot. We couldn’t take you to the hospital and brought you back here instead. A doctor came and tended to your wound. You’ll be back to normal in a few days.”

Raymond let her words sink and with dread asked, “We?”

Charmaine saw the distinct change in him and rushed to placate him, “Luckily Joe was in that same area. When you told me to run I did and I ran right into him not far away. He stopped you from getting killed.”

Raymond didn’t know what to make out of that or the rising suspicion in him. Was it merely a coincidence that the Tongs happened to be nearby when he got shot. But he didn’t believe that. The only reason why Joe could be so close by was because he was the one who sent the assassin to kill him. He looked at Charmaine and stonily said, “I have to leave right now.”

“What?” Charmaine responded in panic. The doctor said he was to stay in bed for a day or two in order for the wound to heal properly. She held onto his arms determined to push him back down, “You can’t go anywhere!”

Raymond paused to look at her, “I can’t stay here,” he said emphatically.

Not understanding why, Charmaine asked, “Why not? You’re injured and need rest. You’ll be safe here with Derek and Joe watching over you.”

“Sure they will or attempt to kill me again the first chance they get,” Raymond said with contempt.

Charmaine was stunned by his tone and looked at him in bewilderment, “What do you mean by that?”

Raymond saw the hurt in her eyes and gentled his voice, “Things aren’t always what it appears. Of course they want you to believe that they saved me.”

“I saw what happened! The assassin almost killed you but Joe got to him first,” Charmaine stressed, her eyes boring into him.

Raymond met her gaze without flinching and quietly said, “I don’t blame you for believing them but that doesn’t mean that I do.”

His insinuation finally dawned on her. Outraged that he would suspect Derek and Joe of such scheming, she dropped her hands from his arm and stood back. Glaring at him, she asked with irritation, “Is that what you think? You think they hired an assassin to kill you? That they planned all of this?”

“Let’s just say I don’t believe in coincidences,” Raymond stated flatly. “You don’t find it odd that Joe and his men happened to be there at the same time we were?”

Charmaine mulled over his question, her heart thudding wildly as a tiny part of her began to form the same suspicions. No, Derek and Joe would never hurt someone she cared about. Shaking her head, she banished the idea as quickly as it came. Icily she declared, “Derek and Joe love me. They would never do anything to hurt or upset me.”

Not wanting this to get in the way of their relationship, Raymond regretted his prior comments, comments that he should have kept to himself. Only now that it was out he had to find a way to make her see it from his point of view. Softly he said, “Charmaine, I…”

“No!” Charmaine interrupted, “Don’t say another word.” Looking at him with a mixture of anger and sadness she said, “I knew this would happen and yet I still wanted to be with you.”

“Charmaine…” Raymond cried out urgently, “I’m sorry but can’t you try to see this from my view and why I would come to that conclusion?”

Charmaine started backing away from him, her hands went up to cover her ears, “I don’t want to hear another word from you!”

Derek and Joe walked in and saw the shimmering wetness in Charmaine’s eyes. Taking the protective stance, Derek quickly placed an arm over her shoulders and snapped at Raymond, “What did you do to her?”

Charmaine clutched Derek’s arm and said, “Raymond believes that you hired an assassin to kill him. Derek, tell him that you wouldn’t do such a thing.”

Derek’s eyes darted from Charmaine’s pleading face to Raymond’s aloof one. “I did.”