Chapter 257: Back to Who She Was

“Who said you’re a stepmother? You’re Dodo’s real mother!” the masked man corrected Raylee.

“But Dodo isn’t my biological child!” Raylee asked curiously, for what felt like the umpteenth time. “Where on earth did Dodo’s real mother go? Is she still alive?”

“Stop asking about what’s not yours to know. Get out of here, shoo,” the masked man said, his tone visibly impatient.

After five months, Raylee had finally managed to figure out what made him tick. Usually, at this point, she wouldn’t pry further, as she knew when to stop. She would just go back to what she was doing. However, she noticed she had never seen him lose his temper, and he seemed to have a genial personality. It would be better if one didn’t upset him, but in the event one did, it still wasn’t a big deal.

After finishing her bath, Raylee, draped in a towel, returned to her bedroom to change. In the midst of changing, the man in the mask abruptly barged in, witnessing what he shouldn’t have. Rather than screaming, Raylee warmly invited him just as he was about to close the door and leave.

“Come in,” she said. “It’s not like you haven’t seen it all before.”

“Coincidentally, you can check on the effectiveness of the scar removal cream, and while you’re at it, help me see if there are any remaining scars.”

The man in the mask stepped inside, showing no hesitation. They slept in separate rooms, and other than making love, they did everything else a normal couple would do. Their relationship was like that of friends yet also resembled that of lovers. The boundary between them was one even Raylee had trouble defining.

Whatever, all that matters is that I’m happy. Her present attitude was remarkably positive, just as it had been four years ago when her mind was free of worries. Raylee brushed her long hair aside, revealing her smooth back for the masked man to check on how well the scars were healing.

“Perfect…” After a moment, the masked man let out a sigh. “I’ll give them a raise later!”

Raylee chuckled. “What about me, the guinea pig? Do I get any perks?”

The masked man generously said, “I’ll add an extra zero to your allowance.”

“No, no, no, I want benefits, not an increase in my allowance.” Raylee glanced back, only to be greeted by his burning gaze.

“What other benefits do you want? You can ask for anything. Anyway, we can discuss it later. Let me first apply the cream on you. The upgraded version of the scar removal cream has been developed.”

“Alright then, remember what you said. Thanks, boss!” Raylee’s eyes sparkled with joy.

The masked man began to meticulously apply the scar removal cream to Raylee’s body. He examined her intently, not missing a single inch of her skin. Half an hour later, every part that needed to be covered was, except for the face.

After having the scar removal cream applied all over her body, Raylee couldn’t move for an hour and experienced an intense burning sensation, one that required a great deal of tolerance to endure. Compared to the severe pain, the feeling of embarrassment was nothing at all.

The masked man brought over a fruit platter, feeding her piece by piece and keeping her company during the tormenting time. Raylee was fed an imported cherry, and she was instantly overjoyed. “Wow, this cherry is incredibly sweet!” The masked man once again fed her another one.

Raylee was always a good sport. “The strawberries you feed me are the best. They’re so tasty that I could cry!”

The masked man found himself torn between laughter and tears, yet deep down, he felt a profound sense of relief. After five months of diligent care, his efforts were not in vain. The vibrant and cheerful Raylee from four years ago was finally brought back by him.

“Boss, can you play the guitar?” Raylee rambled on as she ate.

“No, why? If you’d like to hear it, I can arrange for a musician to perform live for you.”

“No, no, no, I thought you could play. Otherwise, how could you have strummed my heartstrings?”

The cringy romantic words caught him off guard, eliciting a laugh from him. Just like that, the unbearable hour was passed with idle chatter and laughter. At last, Raylee could move again, and the burning sensation gradually faded away. She had already broken out in cold sweat from enduring the pain and readily collapsed into the arms of the masked man.

“Does it hurt a lot?” The masked man gently wiped away the cold sweat from her face and body.

Feeling exhausted, as if she had just run a marathon, Raylee gave a weak nod. She leaned in once more, aiming for another kiss. The masked man pecked her on the face, his disguise still in place.

In an instant, it was as if Raylee was filled with boundless energy, her body brimming with inexhaustible strength. She tightened her grip around his arm, as if afraid of losing her most precious treasure.

She asked, “Where did you go this time? You disappeared for half a month. I was really worried about you, and I missed you a lot.”

Every four days, she had to have the cream applied to her. Every time, the masked man would personally do it. However, this time was an exception. He had been away for half a month, and she found it hard to bear. It wasn’t that she was being overly dramatic. After all, she had been in the devil’s prison, so there was no way this little pain could defeat her. However, there was a saying that if one had never seen the light, one could bear the darkness. Had she not experienced the tender care of the masked man or felt his sincere affection, things might have been different. She would bear any difficulty on her own. But now, under his nurturing care, she had turned back into the person she was four years ago in the Goodridge family, a girl who grew up in the lap of luxury, one that couldn’t bear even the slightest setback.