“You’ve survived so many injuries in prison, so you should cherish your life and live it well,” Tiffany said. Even though Raylee knew Tiffany was keeping a secret from her, she couldn’t force it out if Tiffany chose not to share. She had no choice but to swallow her pride and agree, “You’re absolutely right, Ms. Tiffany. I’ll definitely strive to be a better person.”
“Do you really want to take revenge on the Goodridge family?” Tiffany suddenly asked, her voice carrying a hint of ruthlessness. Confused, Raylee nodded.
“Start with the little princess of the Goodridge family, then…”
“Ms. Tiffany, what are you saying? Are you helping me?” Raylee asked.
“Who said I was helping you?” Tiffany looked at her with disdain. “You can’t stand Waverly, and neither can I. She’s monopolized Casimir for four years. It’s about time she stepped aside! That country bumpkin of a girl truly believes she can marry Casimir through an engagement. That’s wishful thinking! How dare she compete with me?”
On her way back, Raylee was overwhelmed with a myriad of worries. She made her way to the park and settled down on a bench. Just a moment ago, Tiffany had outlined a plan concerning Waverly. All she had to do was go along with it. Raylee happily agreed. After all, it wasn’t easy to find such a great opportunity to have someone help her deal with Waverly. Tiffany’s dislike for Waverly wasn’t something that had developed overnight.
Given her characteristic of holding grudges, why hadn’t she taken action against Waverly in the past four years? Perhaps it’s simply because she hadn’t found an opportunity. Raylee recalled Tiffany’s words and was left stunned. Her mood then became especially heavy. She leaned against the back of the chair, her hands and feet cold as ice. Her eyes were as still and lifeless as stagnant water. As it turned out, during those past four years, the Goodridge family had kept a close eye on Waverly. They never allowed her to interact with the heirs and heiresses from other families.
The Goodridge family had arranged for Waverly to stay at home to foster personal growth, enhance her various interests, and refine her demeanor. They even hired private tutors for her. They had advised her to keep her distance from high society in order to avoid all the drama and controversies. That was also the reason why Waverly was constantly complaining about only having two close friends, Shanice and Mindy. From Tiffany’s narration, Raylee saw the exact case of someone being cherished and spoiled beyond measure.
Even so, to prevent the commercial rivalry between the two major families from affecting Waverly, Alaric surprisingly took the initiative to back down, relinquishing several large-scale projects to the Lorimer family. That was also the reason why Goodridge Group had been regressing rather than progressing over these past few years.
In order to safeguard Waverly, they went to great lengths, contributing not only financially and physically but also by offering projects. They treated her as if she was the most precious treasure in the world.
The more Raylee reflected, the deeper her heartache became. It turned out that while she was in prison, the Goodridge family had helped Waverly so much. While she was enduring a torment worse than death in prison, Waverly was basking in the utmost affection. They unconditionally gave their all to a daughter they hadn’t seen in eighteen years. Yet, they neglected Raylee, whom they had raised for eighteen years, without any regard for her.
Is bloodline really that important? Does not being biologically related mean one can just easily abandon them? Even if it was a dog, after being cared for eighteen years, there would be a bond, let alone a person. The more Raylee thought about it, the more distressed she became, her heart aching as if it had been ripped out and whipped. Clutching her chest, she was unaware that her face was awash with tears.
Even though she despised the Goodridge family to her core and had severed all parental ties with them, when she reflected on how kind they had been to Waverly during her time in prison, she still felt a sense of unease. Her days in prison were really filled with such agony. Every day, she was forced to endure the dual torment of both physical and mental suffering. She endured relentlessly, escaping from the grasp of death countless times. Finally, after enduring four long years, she was released from prison, her body worn and broken. However, something else awaited her.
The family’s concern was insincere, and the compensation was hollow. Even more, they couldn’t wait to introduce her to Jeremiah, eager to squeeze out her remaining worth for the benefit of the Goodridge family. Without comparison, there would be no harm done. Compared to Waverly, Raylee felt her life was nothing short of a colossal joke.
“Why? Why do they treat me like this? What did I do wrong?” Raylee whispered, sobbing softly. She murmured, her voice filled with ceaseless questions.
“Young lady, do you have a lot of questions?” Suddenly, a voice filled with youthful innocence echoed. Kaylee was startled. She lifted her head and saw the tall figure of Percival standing in front of her, holding a balloon and a lollipop. He then coaxed her in a childlike tone, “Come here, you poor little girl who’s been crying her heart out. I’ll give you this balloon.” Percival handed her the balloon, then unwrapped the lollipop and popped it into her mouth.
Observing Raylee, her cheeks puffed out from the lollipop she was munching on, Percival couldn’t help but exclaim, “What an adorable young lady! If you could hold back your tears and just smile, you’d be even more adorable!”