Chapter 165: The Rescue

“Ray-Ray, where are you? If you’re still alive, say something!”

An indeterminate amount of time passed when Raylee, in her drowsy state, was awakened by a commotion. With great effort, she lifted her gaze, only for her eyes to be stung by the sunlight streaming in through the entrance.

Ray-Ray.

It seemed as though she heard someone calling out to her, and the voice bore a striking resemblance to Casimir’s. I must be dreaming. Casimir did not come with me to Musmeynia. By now, he should be basking in the sweet, loving embrace of Waverly.

“Ray-Ray, can you hear me? I beg you, say something, please…”

The voice is clear and familiar!

Raylee was left stunned when she realized she was not dreaming. No, no, no, I must be hallucinating. How could Casimir possibly appear in such a desolate place? She would rather believe that she was losing her mind than accept the truth. However, reality once again shattered her doubts.

A towering figure barged into the narrow entrance of the cave. His familiar and handsome face was filled with anxiety. His dark eyes searched everywhere, as if he had lost a beloved treasure. Raylee stared in astonishment at the man blocking the entrance, her eyes filled with shock.

It’s Casimir. It really is him…

“Ray-Ray, there you are. I’ve finally found you!”

Casimir was filled with elation. He strode into the cave, his tall figure bending slightly. Without a moment’s hesitation, he scooped up the stunned Raylee and carried her out of the cave.

Raylee stared blankly at the man holding her. Even at that moment, she couldn’t believe it was real. It wasn’t until she left the cave that she was certain she wasn’t delusional, nor was it a dream. It was Casimir who had truly come to her rescue.

“Casimir!” She collapsed into his arms and began to cry aloud. The crushing despair she felt when Casimir leaped into the river to his death, the terror of being pursued relentlessly, had kept her on edge the entire time. At that moment, her tightly wound nerves completely unraveled. She cried uncontrollably, her tears soaking through Casimir’s shirt.

Upon seeing Raylee covered in blood and her face marred by injuries, Casimir knew she must have suffered greatly. He was instantly beside himself with distress and sympathy. While gently patting her back, Casimir softly comforted her, “Go on and let it all out. It was my fault. I arrived too late. I’m sorry for letting you suffer…”

“Jeremiah is dead,” she sobbed. “He was shot and then he jumped into the river. He must be dead, oh…”

Kaylee was shaking all over as she cried, and the mere mention of Jeremiah was enough to agitate her greatly, almost causing her to faint. Surrounded by his bodyguards, Casimir carried her all the way as they emerged from the dense forest.

Once she was sure she was safe, she made her way to the spot where Jeremiah had jumped into the river, gazing intently at its surface. By this time, the river had regained its tranquility. The water was still as murky as ever, yet there was no trace of crimson to be seen. Only the copious amount of bloodstains lingering in the grass by the shore served as proof that she and Jeremiah had been there the previous night.

“Ray-Ray, I’ve contacted the local search and rescue team to see if we can retrieve Jeremiah’s body. We can give him a proper burial at least… You should eat something. At this rate, your health will suffer,” Casimir said with a sigh.

Raylee shook her head, watching as Casimir prepared food for her. Despite being so hungry that she had no energy, she had no appetite at all. She set the food aside, continuing to gaze upon the river. Casimir knew she was overwhelmed by sorrow, so he tactfully refrained from disturbing her.

Later on, the body recovery team spent half the day dredging the river, pulling up numerous bodies. However, they couldn’t find Jeremiah’s among them. Casimir had no choice but to persuade her, “Ray-Ray, let’s head back home first. This place is still dangerous. It’s not wise to stay for any longer than we need to. I will continue the search for Jeremiah’s body. The Lorimer family will send people to help. We’ll definitely find it.”

Raylee understood that she couldn’t linger there for long. Jeremiah’s fate was sealed, and she could only accept the reality.

“Can the private jet make a detour to Totresh first? I need to pick up something there. It’s Jeremiah’s personal effects.”

“Are you so deeply in love with him? You’ve been neglecting your own needs, even going as far as retrieving his personal effects. Have you forgotten how he hurt you in the past?” Casimir’s tone was filled with discontent.

“I’ll go by myself if you won’t.” With a blank expression, Raylee turned around. She staggered a few steps due to exhaustion, almost fainting. Immediately, Casimir caught her as she was on the verge of collapsing. She was already thin, but now, she seemed so fragile that she was like a leaf, ready to be carried away by the wind at any moment. Looking at the traces of blood on her face, Casimir ultimately wavered. “Fine, we’ll head to Totresh first.”

Following that, Kaylee traveled to Totresh. As per Jeremiah’s instructions, she retrieved the chip that was stored inside a metal safety deposit box.