Chapter 149: Not Fit to Be a Mother

“Ray-Ray, there’s something else,” Harriet said hesitantly, her face filled with reluctance and worry. After a brief pause, she continued, “If Jeremiah doesn’t make it back alive… I fear… I’ve let you off the hook.”

She lowered her voice and warned, “If something really does happen to him, you mustn’t return to Jexburgh. Stay where you are and don’t let any information leak out. I’ve discussed this with your father. We’ll tell the Lorimer family that you died trying to save Jeremiah. We won’t actually wish for your death, but this will be the best way to protect you. Just do your best to keep yourself safe—we’ll make sure your future is well taken care of.”

Compared to Alaric’s subtle warnings, Harriet’s blunt threats were far more distasteful. Raylee looked at her, and in that moment, a wave of sorrow spread from the depths of her heart. A single harsh word can bring a chill even in the height of summer. Her journey had already been fraught with peril, teetering on the edge of life and death—why did they insist on breaking her heart, too? Eighteen years of mother-daughter ties, and yet, in the end, it was just a fleeting dream.

Harriet continued, “Ray-Ray, this is a win-win solution. It’s designed to protect you, so you have to work with us.”

“A win-win situation?” Raylee let out a cold laugh. “You might as well just say it outright—if Jeremiah dies, I might as well die there and never return. That way, you can give a proper explanation to the Lorimer family, and your precious son can remain safe and sound.”

She continued, “From your perspective, this so-called perfect solution is nothing more than stepping over my dead body to protect the Goodridge family’s interests to the greatest extent.”

Harriet looked deeply distressed, her eyes rimmed with red. “Ray-Ray, how could you think of me like this? You’re my daughter. I raised you for eighteen years—how could I ever let you die alongside that man?”

“Isn’t that exactly what you’re implying?” Raylee’s gaze was cold. “You might as well just say it—tell me straight to my face that you want me buried alongside Jeremiah.”

Shanice, who had been silent until now, couldn’t hold back any longer. Her voice trembled with rage as she said, “Mrs. Goodridge, you may be an elder, but your actions discredit your status. And honestly, you are not fit to be a mother!”

She continued, “Your son was just as responsible in all of this, yet you let Ray-Ray take the fall alone. Now you’re even telling her to stay away and never come back? What kind of mother does that? You’re heartless!”

“Shanice, how could you talk about my mother like that?” Waverly stepped forward, her voice sharp with anger. “Since when did our family affairs become any of your business?”

“Shanice, you should stop talking,” Casimir warned.

Shanice’s face turned red with fury. “I must’ve been blind to ever set you up with that deceiver, Casimir.”

She huffed in frustration, then muttered, “Damn it, I know I’m too worked up right now. I need to go to the restroom—I can’t stand this anymore—”

With reddened eyes, Waverly turned to Raylee, her voice filled with frustration. “Raylee, I know you’re upset, but can you not always assume the worst about Mom? Do you even know? Ever since you went to the Lorimer Estate alone last night, she hasn’t been able to sleep. She was terrified she might never see you again!”

Raylee looked at the insincere mother-daughter duo, feeling it was pointless to waste her breath on them. Instead, she turned and walked after Shanice.

In the bathroom, Shanice had a regretful expression on her face. “Ray-Ray, I know it’s too late for words now, but I still need to apologize. I played a big role in breaking you and my brother apart. At first, my family didn’t approve of Waverly. They thought her countryside upbringing made her an unsuitable match for Casimir. But even if you and Casimir had broken off your engagement, she had no right to step in.”

She continued, “It was me—I was the one who came up with all sorts of schemes to make sure they got involved. I manipulated things so that my family would accept her. Looking back now, it’s like I invited a wolf into our house.”

Kaylee shook her head and comforted her. “Fate isn’t something you can force. My relationship with Casimir was never…”

Shanice gently brushed her bangs aside and said softly, “Whether you make it back safely or not, in my heart, I already see you as my sister-in-law. Promise me you’ll come back alive, okay? I know my brother still can’t forget about you—I can see it in his eyes when he looks at you. There’s still a chance for you two. Back then, I had the power to tear you apart. Now, I can just as easily bring you back together.”

Hearing those words, Raylee found herself caught between laughter and tears. Could a broken string of fate really be tied back together?

Their conversation was overheard by Waverly, who had just arrived at the bathroom door. Shanice glanced at her and sneered, “Wow, look at her trying to join in the fun. She’s so pretentious. Let’s go, Ray-Ray.”

With tears in her eyes, Waverly suddenly rushed forward and fell to her knees with a thud.