Chapter 218: Times Have Changed
Raylee hadn't expected Casimir to impulsively hit someone. He doesn't seem to have been drinking! This is truly baffling. Is this crude manner of communication typical of all men?
Seeing Percival's bleeding mouth, she was filled with distress. She yelled at Casimir, “You’re the heartless and ungrateful one! Every single one of you is incapable of saying anything decent! I’m not dating Dr. Shapiro, but even if I were, it’s certainly not your place to judge and criticize!”
After she finished speaking, she tried to leave, pulling Percival along with her. At that moment, Percival halted. Repeatedly getting punched and being falsely accused had completely exhausted his patience. He simply stopped explaining and taunted Casimir in a mocking tone, “Your woman? Casimir, could you please be a bit more thoughtful with your words? You’re engaged, aren’t you? What right do you have to claim Ray-Ray as your woman? Samuel is as blind as a bat and has a sharp tongue. And you? You’re just full of yourself. Do you think just because Ray-Ray was once your fiancée, she would be yours forever? That’s utterly ridiculous.”
Suffering from the mockery, Casimir found himself inexplicably irritated. He tugged at his restrictive tie, and his handsome face flushed with anger. “Even if she wasn’t my woman, it wouldn’t be your place to take her away from me! Don’t think I’m unaware that you’ve had feelings for Raylee for quite some time now. Given your personality, if there’s something you truly don’t want to do, I can’t force you. When I asked you to treat her illness, you didn’t hesitate. Is that when you started to fall for her? I truly regret it now. How could I have placed a wolf next to Raylee?”
Percival did not deny his words. Instead, he continued to confront him, saying, “Casimir, you label me as a wolf, then what does that make you? Between a true beast and a hypocrite, I believe you’re far more disgraceful than I am! I did my utmost to treat Raylee’s illness, genuinely concerned for her health. But what about you? Have you ever truly loved her? You used to dismiss her, ignore her, and neglect her. However, after she’s released from prison, you start to care for her in every way. You’re just bitter because she doesn’t like you anymore, and that’s only fueling your possessiveness! You never truly cared for her!”
“Stop spouting nonsense, Percival! Just shut up!” Casimir roared in anger, his normally magnetic voice contorted. His deep, black eyes were filled with nothing but fury. If he hadn’t been exerting immense self-control, he would have already pinned Percival to the ground and given him a serious beating.
“Casimir, the truth is often hard to hear. Whether you admit it or not, you indeed don’t love Ray-Ray!” Percival looked at him with disdain. “So, why do you have to pretend to be so affectionate? In the end, who else could you possibly move with your actions aside from yourself?”
“What gives you the right to make assumptions about my thoughts?” Casimir’s handsome face was filled with anger as he almost spat out each word through gritted teeth. “Let me tell you something! I’ve always had feelings for Ray-Ray! It just wasn’t that obvious before! If I didn’t care for her, I would have broken off our engagement long ago! Why would I have stayed entangled with her for all these years?”
“Oh, really?” Percival let out a cold, sarcastic chuckle. “The fact is that you’ve already broken off your engagement with her! Your current fiancée is Waverly! If what you’re saying is true, that means you don’t really have feelings for Waverly. In that case, why would you agree to enter a marriage alliance with her?”
“That’s what the elders want!” Casimir’s face stiffened. “You’re fully aware of my family situation. Pointing out my vulnerabilities, it’s like you’re kicking me when I’m down!”
Percival shook his head in mockery. “I truly understand your circumstances, and I’m aware that you’ve been betrothed to the Goodridge family’s daughter since childhood. You couldn’t resist it in the past, but times have changed. The person you are now, you already possess the strength to break free from the chains of your elders! Yet, you didn’t immediately call off your engagement with Waverly. You claim to be in love with Ray-Ray, yet you didn’t rush to become single again to marry her! Given the circumstances, do you still have the cheek to say that you like her? As adults, we all tend to weigh the pros and cons. You haven’t acted accordingly because Ray-Ray holds no value to you, right?”
The truth indeed had a harsh ring to it.
As she listened to those words, Raylee felt as if a thorn was lodged in her heart, a discomfort so intense it left her breathless. Adults understand the art of weighing pros and cons, which is why I’ve always resisted Casimir, not giving him another chance to enter my heart. However, why does he keep sending me signals, declaring his love for me, and pleading for a chance? I now know the answer. Percival is right. It’s due to Casimir’s sense of possessiveness. Casimir is a man among men, and his pride runs deep within his bones. He can’t bear the thought of someone who has loved him for years suddenly not loving him anymore. Men always make fools of themselves. When I’ve stopped loving, he’s begun to love. No… I’ve merely sparked his sense of possessiveness. I don’t even care if it’s love anymore. I refuse to delve into it any further.