Chapter 36: Pull the Trigger

His eyes burned with determination as he challenged, "If you dare, pull the trigger."

"You think I won't?" Jeremiah flipped the safety off and slowly squeezed the trigger.

"No!" Casimir released the unconscious Shanice and stepped forward. "Mr. Lorimer, this is a charity dinner. Everyone here is wealthy or influential. If you fire that gun, are you prepared for the ensuing public backlash?"

He added, "Besides, Samuel is the Goodridge family's only son. While they may not be as powerful as the Lorimers, they hold significant sway in Jexburgh's social circles. Mr. Lorimer, don't mistake Samuel for Raylee. You can shape an adopted daughter, but an heir born to your legitimate wife—surely you understand the weight of that title."

A mocking smirk touched Jeremiah's lips. "Who in this city doesn't know I'm an illegitimate child? Are you invoking 'legitimate heirs' to insult me?"

He scoffed. "Let me be clear—I don't care who they are or where they come from. Anyone who harms my fiancée will pay the price!"

Casimir's face darkened. "Just because you bear the Lorimer name, you think you can act with impunity? Arrogance leads to disaster, and pride precedes a fall!"

Jeremiah, unrestrained, his arrogance blazing, was a wild horse. "Heh... My surname is my greatest asset—and it's precisely why I can afford to be this bold! This concerns your family. If you don't want trouble, stay out of it. And as for your sister humiliating my fiancée, I'll settle that score soon enough."

Casimir remained undeterred. "You call Raylee your fiancée, yet you point a gun at her brother. If you kill him, do you think you'll still marry her? Mr. Lorimer, Samuel was wrong to push Raylee into the water. But there are many ways to exact retribution—you don't need to resort to this."

Jeremiah's cold eyes locked on him. Every movement radiated superiority and contempt. "Mr. Sutherland, you're articulate and persuasive. But tell me—if you're such a good man, why didn't you save Raylee when she fell into the water? You grew up together. You were even engaged. Wasn't your bond strong enough?"

Casimir was momentarily speechless. He had hesitated. By the time he realized he should dive in, Jeremiah had already rescued her.

Raylee's heart ached at Jeremiah's words. She was furious at Samuel, but Casimir's indifference hurt even more. Perhaps he'd wrongly assumed she could swim, or that she was feigning distress. But wasn't he afraid of what might have happened? They had been engaged, they had grown up together. Did that mean nothing?

Raylee's face paled as she gave Casimir a cold look. Despite their proximity, she felt like a stranger. Casimir met her gaze, a whirlwind of inexplicable emotions surging within him.

Seeing Raylee nestled in Jeremiah's arms, fragile as a shattered porcelain doll, Casimir admitted his envy. He wished he were holding her. Yet doubt gnawed at him. Had Raylee feigned drowning to elicit Jeremiah's rescue? If so, she was far more calculating than he imagined.

Suddenly, Waverly, who had been hiding behind Samuel, rushed forward, throwing herself in front of him! "Don't hurt my brother!"

Her voice broke into sobs, raw and heart-wrenching. "Raylee, please! I beg you—convince him not to shoot! I won't fight with you anymore! I don't want the figurines, the clothes, the bags, the shoes—nothing! I'll return everything!"

"I'll even find you a cat like Biscuit," she sobbed. "And I'll atone for Biscuit's death. Please, don't hurt my brother! My parents only have one son—they'll be devastated!"

Her cries could move even the coldest heart. Yet to Raylee, Waverly's tears were repulsive.

"Waverly, what nonsense? It's just a cat. How can you compare it to your own life?" Samuel patted her shoulder.