Chapter 128: He Is Not Worthy

Alaric strode forward and struck Samuel hard across the face. “Have you lost your mind? Since when do you have the right to decide who Ray-Ray marries?”

Harriet looked at Samuel, disappointed. “Samuel, I won’t stand by you this time. You know your grandmother isn’t in the best health, yet you insist on stirring up trouble. Do you have any idea what you’re doing to her?”

Only Waverly stood by Samuel, tearfully pleading on his behalf. “Dad, Mom, he only spoke out because he cares about Raylee! He doesn’t want her to put herself in danger. Please don’t be mad at him.”

Alaric glared at Samuel. “Whether Ray-Ray is happy or not is none of your concern. And this is my final warning—if you ever upset your grandmother again, I will make you pay for it!”

With that, he stormed out of the mansion, Harriet shaking her head and following suit, leaving with a deep sigh. “Dad, Mom, please don’t be mad…” Waverly hurried after them.

Samuel clutched his swollen cheek but refused to back down. Fueled by anger and defiance, he grabbed a full glass of wine and downed it in one go before stumbling toward Vera’s room.

Raylee’s heart skipped a beat. “Samuel, don’t do anything reckless!” she called after him.

But he had already lost all restraint. Barging into Vera’s room, he ranted like a madman. “Grandma, Ray-Ray is your most beloved granddaughter! Are you really going to stand by and watch her throw her life away? That b*stard Jeremiah—his crimes could fill a book! If Ray-Ray marries him, forget dying—she won’t even have the luxury of death!”

Vera’s face darkened. “Is this true? That boy from the Lorimer family… is he really that vile?”

Raylee rushed in, panicked. “Grandma, don’t listen to him! Jeremiah is a good man, he—”

But Vera raised a hand, silencing her. “Ray-Ray, enough.” Her sharp gaze locked onto Samuel. “Tell me everything you know.”

Samuel took a deep breath. “Grandma, if even a single word I say is false, may I be struck by lightning! Ray-Ray had always been afraid to tell you, fearing it would be too much for you to handle. Despite my advice, she wouldn’t listen. I have no choice but to come and tell you myself.”

The room fell into a heavy silence. After a long moment, Vera wiped her reddened eyes and grasped Raylee’s hand. “My darling girl… I’m so sorry. I’ve let you down.”

Raylee held back tears, her nose tingling. “Grandma, Jeremiah may be hot-tempered, but he knows his limits. He wouldn’t kill me.”

“He doesn’t need to kill you. He’ll break you until living feels worse than death. Is he truly worth you marrying him?” Vera pulled her close, her voice thick with sorrow. “Sweetheart, listen to your grandmother—this man isn’t worth it.”

Feeling the unsteady rhythm of her grandmother’s heartbeat, Raylee nodded through her tears. “All right, I’ll do as you say. Grandina.”

Hearing this, Samuel, who was standing nearby, let out a sigh of relief, as though a heavy burden had been lifted off his shoulders. With a laugh, he said, “Since Ray-Ray has agreed not to marry Jeremiah, I’ll return the engagement gifts to the Lorimer family. Grandina, you should rest well. I won’t disturb you for now.”

After Samuel left, Kaylee slowly released her hold on her grandmother. Sitting by the bed, she turned to face her directly. “Grandma, how’s your health? In this world, you’re the only person I have left to care about. If anything were to happen to you, I wouldn’t even have the courage to keep living.”

“Don’t worry, there’s still time,” Vera reassured her. “I’ll find you another suitable suitor. This time, I’ll be more careful and make sure to choose a good one for you. This was all your mother’s fault. She had no sense of conscience. She knew full well that the Lorimer boy was bad news, yet she still insisted on you marrying him. How did I end up with a daughter-in-law like that? Alas, such misfortune has befallen my household!”

As she watched her grandmother continuously shake her head and sigh, Raylee suddenly got up and knelt before her bed. “Ray-Ray, what are you doing?” Vera asked in shock.

“Grandma, may I have the right to decide my own marriage? I want to marry Jeremiah. Please give me your consent,” Raylee pleaded.

Vera quickly helped her up, her voice heavy with concern. “But that young man is abusive. You won’t find happiness if you marry him!”