Chapter 181: For Your Own Good
“I’ve really already let him go. The four years of imprisonment you forced me to endure have long since smoothed out all my edges,” Raylee sighed. When she talked about Casimir, there was no longer any sparkle in her eyes. The next moment, she hoisted up her sleeve, unzipped her down jacket, and tugged down the collar of her thermal underwear. The weather was bitterly cold, with the harsh wind ruthlessly piercing through her, causing her to shiver violently.
“What are you doing?” Tiffany asked, her face filled with confusion.
Raylee frowned, saying, “Look! Use your eyes and see clearly!”
“Are you out of your mind? We’re in the middle of an argument. Why have you suddenly opened your shirt for me to…”
In the midst of her tirade, Tiffany suddenly fell silent. With a hand over her mouth, her face was a picture of shock. Her eyes were wide open as if she had seen a ghost. It was actually an unbelievable sight. Tiffany had been trained in combat arts since her childhood, enduring countless injuries, both major and minor. Her body bore numerous scars as a testament to her past. Compared to the injuries on Raylee, Tiffany’s injuries still paled in comparison.
After regaining her composure, Tiffany asked in disbelief, “Why does your body…”
Raylee responded in a nonchalant tone, “What you’re seeing is merely the tip of the iceberg. There’s hardly a patch of skin on me that remains unscathed. Ms. Tiffany, have you forgotten? This is all thanks to you.”
“You’re talking nonsense. I’ve never laid a hand on you!” Tiffany adamantly denied it.
Kaylee let out a soft laugh, her voice tinged with boundless desolation. “You may not have laid a hand on me, but you sure had plenty of people in prison do your dirty work. It was District Nine Prison… Ms. Tiffany, do you have any idea just how terrifying that prison is? For countless days and nights, I raced against the Grim Reaper. Have you ever tasted the kind of despair where even death seems like a luxury?”
“District Nine Prison? I’ve heard of it, but no… How did you end up in District Nine Prison?” A trace of bewilderment added to the astonishment on Tiffany’s face. “At first, I did indeed have them give you a hard time, but later on, I left you alone. We were just competing for the same man. I wasn’t so vindictive as to torment you to death! I really had no idea how you ended up in District Nine Prison.”
“Really?” Kaylee was somewhat bewildered. “Had it not been for Tiffany’s manipulation, how could I have ended up in that devil’s prison?”
Tiffany’s brow furrowed deeply in concern as she observed Raylee’s hands, rough and weathered like an old, withered tree.
“1. Tiffany, I’m open and above board. I won’t admit to things I haven’t done. However, don’t expect any sympathy from me. Who asked you to compete with me for the same man? Also, it was your own fault for getting tangled up in that necklace theft mess, which gave me the perfect chance to deal with you. You stepped right into the line of fire, so you reaped what you…”
Kaylee shook her head. “Ms. Tiffany, I have no right to blame you, but you’ve seen the injuries on my body. These are just the ones visible to the naked eye. In places you don’t see, the injuries I’ve sustained are countless. Right now, all that’s left of me is an impaired body, and I’m like a walking zombie. Even living requires all my courage. What strength do I have left to compete with you for Casimir? To put it bluntly, how could someone like me ever be worthy of such an outstanding man?”
Tiffany fell silent, her serious gaze sweeping over Kaylee. After a moment, she finally said, “Don’t think that by lowering your stance, I’ll easily trust you. If you believe that you can make Casimir risk his life to save you or care about you unconditionally, then you’re sorely mistaken!”
2:55 PM = c
Chapter 181: For Your Own Good
“A chance in this lifetime!” In a firm tone, Raylee declared. “The only thought that keeps me going now is revenge!”
“Are you seeking revenge against me?” Tiffany asked warily.
Kaylee let out a self-deprecating scoff, saying, “How could I dare? I understand the importance of not overestimating myself. Besides, reprisal for a wrong should be directed at the perpetrator. Compared to you, Ms. Tiffany, the harm that the Goodridge family has inflicted on me is far greater. Had I not been falsely accused of stealing the necklace back then, you wouldn’t have had anything on me.”
Tiffany appeared thoughtful as she said, “I only recently found out that the person who stole my necklace four years ago indeed wasn’t you. However, did you know that the necklace was actually…”
Tiffany held her tongue.
“What is it?” Raylee asked, looking at Tiffany with confusion.
Tiffany opened her mouth to speak, but in the end, she held back her words. Instead, she said, “It’s nothing. Don’t ask anymore. There are certain things that are better off not known, for your own good.”