Chapter 127: Neither Were Willing to Back Down

“Besides, Wavy is my own flesh and blood—my sister. What could she possibly have done wrong?”

Before Raylee could say a word, Vera erupted in fury, her sharp gaze cutting straight to Samuel. “You little brat, is this how you treat Raylee when I’m not around?”

She continued, “From beginning to end, I didn’t hear Raylee say a single unkind word to her. But Wavy? She barely got through two sentences before breaking into tears. So frustrating! I really thought you wanted to make amends with Raylee, that you wanted to rebuild your relationship. But looking back now… I can’t even imagine how much my dear Raylee must have suffered all these years without me knowing!”

The Goodwin family fell silent at the elderly woman’s outburst, each person lowering their head. Even Waverly, who had been crying just moments ago, immediately stopped.

At last, Alaric cleared his throat and spoke with a stiff expression. “All right, Wavy, stop crying. Today is your grandmother’s birthday—we should all be celebrating.”

The atmosphere slowly returned to normal.

After hesitating for a moment, Samuel finally voiced what had been weighing on his mind. “Raylee, let me be blunt. You should know by now—I’ve always been against you marrying Jeremiah. He’s not the right one for you.”

Raylee glanced at Alaric and Harriet. Her expression turned serious before she forced a smile. “And what difference does your opinion make? Shouldn’t you be considering what our parents think?”

Samuel’s tone was casual. “I don’t even need to ask. If they truly cared about you, they’d be against it too.”

Alaric’s voice grew heavy. “Samuel, enough. This is your grandmother’s birthday party. Now is not the time for this nonsense.”

Samuel downed his glass of wine in one gulp, then mustered up the courage to push back. “Dad, you know exactly what kind of person Jeremiah is, and yet you’re still forcing Raylee into this marriage? You’re practically handing her a death sentence!”

“Watch your words—your grandmother is still here!” Harriet snapped.

Samuel gritted his teeth. “I’m not making things up! A man like Jeremiah deserves to be struck by lightning! How could he ever be worthy of Raylee?”

Alaric slammed his hand against the table, his patience snapping. “Samuel, if you don’t shut your mouth, I’ll have you sent home right now. You can forget about staying for the party!”

Kaylee was stunned. Never in her life had she expected Samuel to stand up to Alaric and Harriet so openly. For just a brief moment, a strange feeling stirred within her. But it faded just as quickly.

She knew exactly what Samuel was afraid of. He feared that once she married Jeremiah, she’d come back for revenge against him and the rest of the Goodwin family.

As for Alaric and Harriet, they only saw her marriage as a strategic move—one that would bring benefits to their family. They didn’t care about her.

Watching Samuel’s face flush red with anger, Raylee’s expression remained indifferent. “I told you before—you’re just a spoiled brat. What gives you the right to make decisions for me? My decision is final. I will marry Jeremiah. Save your breath.”

Samuel clenched his fists, his voice a low growl. “This man kidnapped you, dragged you to East Aploth, tortured you, nearly took your life… And you still want to marry him?”

The room had been silent, but at those words, Vera could no longer hold back. “Samuel, say that again! That bastard did what to Raylee? Why didn’t anyone tell me? Why wasn’t I informed?”

She was so worked up, she started coughing violently.

“Grandma, don’t listen to Samuel’s nonsense. I’m fine—there’s nothing wrong with me, really!” Raylee quickly reached out to steady her, gently patting her back.

Vera took a deep breath, glancing at the untouched food on the table before letting out a weary sigh. She turned to the housekeeper standing nearby. “Hazel, take me back to my room. I have no appetite for this meal.”

Then she turned to Raylee. “Raylee, come with me. The rest of you—leave us!”

Kaylee watched her grandmother rise shakily to her feet, her frail figure trembling. Her heart clenched and her eyes burned with unshed tears. Turning sharply, she shot Samuel a look filled with sheer hatred—so intense, it felt as if she wanted to burn him to ashes.

“Samuel, this is my final warning,” she hissed. “If you ever say another word to upset Grandma again, I won’t hold back—I’ll fight you to the very end!”

“Better fight me than throw your whole life away on Jeremiah!” Samuel shot back, his voice just as fierce.

The tension in the air was so thick, it was suffocating—like a battlefield, neither side willing to back down.