Chapter 134: Just An Act

“As long as you’re alive, I’ll do anything you ask!”

The hospital room echoed with Samuel’s cries of grief and guilt. Percival watched him, a mix of emotions swirling within him, shaking his head. “You two… Do you really understand now? If you had another chance, would you still hurt Raylee?”

Casimir’s lips trembled as he shook his head. “If I knew that my so-called ‘protection’ would lead to this, I would’ve never meddled in her life.”

Samuel’s gaze remained locked on the white sheet; his voice was hoarse. “If only she could live, I’d trade my life for hers.”

The moment his words fell, the white sheet was suddenly flung aside. Raylee sat up, glaring at them. “Bullsh*t! If you’re so eager to die, then do it right now!”

Casimir and Samuel were frozen in shock, staring at Raylee as if they had just seen a ghost.

“What’s going on? How is she alive?”

“Why aren’t you dead?” Samuel’s tears stopped instantly. His emotions flipped so violently it felt like he’d been thrown onto a roller coaster.

“Are you actually hoping your sister was dead?” Percival snapped, clearly irritated.

Casimir’s expression darkened as he shot Percival a sharp glare. “You played along with her fake death? You think that’s funny!”

Percival hurriedly explained, “Listen, when I found Raylee, she was in critical condition. But what was even worse was that the ones responsible for her injuries were you two!”

He exhaled sharply before continuing. “So, after the surgery, I suggested she put on this act—to make you both understand. If you keep pushing her to the edge, she’ll have no choice but death!”

A heavy silence fell between them. Not long ago, they had believed Raylee was truly gone. That gut-wrenching grief had consumed them entirely, leaving behind nothing but guilt and regret. Now that they knew it was a false alarm, they felt an overwhelming sense of relief.

She was alive. That was all that mattered.

Kaylee’s face was pale, streaked with dried blood like dark veins across her skin. Her hands were wrapped in thick bandages, making them look like rice dumplings. The madam had forced some unknown drug into her system, and the effects still lingered. The discomfort gnawed at her insides, an unbearable torment.

Yet, despite the pain, despite the resentment roiling within her, she gritted her teeth and forced herself out of the sickbed. Staggering slightly, she closed the distance between herself and Casimir, her voice trembling with rage.

“Tell me, Casimir—did I slaughter your entire family? Did I desecrate your family burial plot? What the hell made you and Samuel conspire to sell me off to a d’mn brothel?”

Her eyes burned with fury as she continued, “Do you have any idea what kind of hellhole that is? If you wanted me dead, you should’ve just stabbed me outright! Why put me through a living nightmare instead?”

She continued, “If we were doomed from the start, if we were never meant to be husband and wife, then fine! But even if our fates don’t align, did our childhood friendship mean nothing to you! You hurt me once before—was that not enough? You already crushed me for Waverly’s sake four years ago! Now you’ve done it again, and in the most despicable way possible! Casimir, you don’t deserve to be called human! You keep saying Jeremiah is a monster—so tell me, how the hell are you any different from him?”

By the time she finished, Raylee’s voice had grown hoarse with emotion. The man she once loved had betrayed her so…

Chapter 134: Just An Act

This was beyond despair. Her heart ached so deeply that even tears refused to fall.

Casimir clenched his jaw, anger flashing in his eyes as he turned to Samuel with a deathly glare. Inwardly, he had already cursed him a thousand times over. This entire disaster was Samuel’s doing. If not for his reckless decisions, Raylee wouldn’t have nearly died, and Casimir himself wouldn’t be caught up in this mess.

Letting out a long breath, he finally spoke. “Ray—Ray, listen to me,” he said. “It was the driver. Your brother only wanted him to take you to Hepham—he never expected him to go off-course and sell you to a brothel! It was all because of your brother’s negligence! If he had personally escorted you, none of this would’ve happened. Raylee, believe me, we would never have sold you off…”

Raylee’s eyes darkened as she stared at him. Her anger boiled over. Without thinking, she lifted her bandaged hand and slapped him—hard. The force of the blow sent Casimir’s head snapping to the side. His expression went completely blank, as if he couldn’t believe what had just happened.

“D—Did you just hit me?”

“I did. And what of it?” Raylee shot back, her voice cutting like a blade. “This is the first and last time I’ll ever lay a hand on you—but with this slap, I’m erasing every memory of us. Whatever feelings we had, whatever affection we shared—it’s over!”

Her pale face was tense, her brows furrowed so deeply that she looked like a taut bowstring, ready to pierce him straight through.

Casimir stood frozen, speechless. He hadn’t even been at fault this time. Yet somehow, he had ended up shouldering Samuel’s blame, taking the full brunt of Raylee’s fury.