Chapter 136: Two Sides of the Same Coin

“I’m not useless! Watch your damn mouth!” he spat. “I can manage the Goodridge business myself—I don’t need to cling to anyone!”

Kaylee didn’t even bother responding. She simply looked at him with a hint of amusement in her eyes, as if watching a child throw a tantrum.

Just then, Harriet and Waverly rushed into the hospital room.

“Ray—Ray, are you all right?” Harriet’s voice was frantic. “Dr. Shapiro told me you were sold to the red-light district—I was scared to death!”

Samuel frowned. “Mom? Wavy? How did you get here? I didn’t tell you—did Caz?”

“It was me who informed Mrs. Goodridge,” Percival answered coolly. “Something this serious—how could she not know?”

Samuel scowled. “What right do you have to meddle in our business?”

Harriet ignored him, her face clouded with anger. “Samuel! Casimir! How could you keep something this big from me?”

But she quickly turned back to Raylee, scanning her from head to toe. Seeing that Raylee still had some color in her face, she finally let out a breath of relief. “Ray—Ray, how are you feeling?” she asked gently. “Dr. Shapiro already told me everything. This was all because of that fool, your brother. Don’t worry, I’ll be giving him a piece of my mind once we get home!”

“Just focus on recovering for now. I’ll bring you chicken soup every day—it’ll help you heal faster,” she said.

Kaylee listened without reacting. Not even a flicker of emotion crossed her face.

Waverly, meanwhile, had noticed Samuel’s injury. Her eyes widened in concern. “Samuel, what happened to your forehead? It’s bleeding—looks like something hit you?”

“I’m fine, just got bitten by a dog,” Samuel muttered, sounding irritated.

“Where did a dog even come from around here?” Harriet asked, her face filled with concern. “Was it your own carelessness, or did someone else hurt you?”

Her heart grew heavier as she walked over and gently pulled Samuel’s hand away. The moment she saw the deep wound on his forehead, her face tightened with distress.

“This cut is too big—it could leave a scar. You need to see a doctor immediately.”

The level of concern in her voice was unmistakable—she was far more anxious about Samuel’s injury than Raylee’s ordeal. The contrast couldn’t have been clearer.

Raylee felt a dull ache in her chest, but she quickly dismissed it. She had long since gotten used to this kind of unequal treatment. Samuel gritted his teeth and refused outright. “No need! I’m a man. A few scars mean nothing to me. I’m not worthless!”

His tone was laced with resentment, clearly still holding a grudge over what Raylee had said earlier. In his entire life, no one had ever dared to call him useless.

Harriet’s gaze flickered to the shattered glass on the floor, and her expression darkened slightly. Turning to Kaylee, she hesitated before asking, “Kay—Ray, about your brother’s injury…”

Raylee didn’t even try to conceal it. “Yes, I did it.”

“Kay Kay, how could you be so reckless? That’s his head—it’s too dangerous!” Harriet scolded. “Yes, your brother made mistakes today. But he only wanted what was best for you. He didn’t mean for you to end up in the red-light district.”

“That’s right, Kaylee,” Waverly chimed in, stepping forward to defend Samuel. “He had good intentions. Can’t you stop blaming him?”

Percival had initially thought Harriet would take Raylee’s side. But seeing her blindly defend Samuel, he realized he had been wrong. Raylee had been right all along—there wasn’t a single good person in the Goodridge family.

“Is your son the only one who matters? Am I worth nothing?” Raylee’s voice was laced with cold fury. “If this happens again, forget harming him—I’ll personally send him straight to your family’s ancestral graveyard.”

Harriet quickly tried to pacify her. “Ray—Ray, calm down. Samuel was wrong this time, I won’t deny that. I’ll inform your father immediately so he can discipline this rascal properly.”

“Mom, I didn’t do anything wrong!” Samuel argued, his frustration evident. “Even if I had to do it all over again, I’d still make the same choice. The only difference is… I’d make sure she stayed safe.”

Percival had finally had enough. He scoffed. “Mr. Goodridge, when you thought Raylee was dead, you were singing a completely different tune. You said if she came back to life, you’d never interfere in her affairs again. You’re a real man, right? You’re not about to go back on your word, are you?”

Samuel shot him a venomous glare. “This is a family matter. It’s none of your business.”

“Samuel, apologize to Ray—Ray right now,” Harriet demanded. “Or I’ll report this to your father. You won’t be able to handle the consequences.”

Raylee watched her act all innocent and understanding. Her patience finally snapped. “Get lost. All of you. Don’t disgust me any further!”

“Ray—Ray, Samuel knows he was wrong, he’s just too stubborn to admit it—”

“Really?” Raylee cut her off sharply. “If he’s stubborn, then what does that make you? Just two sides of the same coin. One playing the good cop, the other the bad.”

She scoffed. “Don’t think I’m clueless. I know exactly why you suddenly pulled me out of prison.”

Harriet’s face stiffened. She quickly tried to explain, “Ray—Ray, what are you saying? We only managed to get you out because tensions between the Goodridge and Lorimer families have eased. Ms. Tiffany also decided not to pursue the matter against you.”