Chapter 177: A Jinx
Casimir was like a man with nothing to lose, possessing an extraordinary level of audacity. Suddenly, he grabbed her wrist and started to lead her away.
“Ah! Casimir, what are you doing? Let go of me now!” Raylee was abruptly pulled away. Caught completely off guard, she let out a startled cry.
“If you won’t take responsibility for your own life, then I will!” Casimir said, his face devoid of expression.
“I’ve already met Layla. Her animosity toward me isn’t as intense as you might think!” Struggling, Raylee roared. “Let go of me, now! You’re nothing more than an ex to me! Stay out of my business!”
Just then, the other members of the Lorimer family arrived. Due to Jeremiah being an overlooked illegitimate child, not everyone from the family showed up. Victor’s legal wife, Rosalind Horsley, along with her daughter Tiffany, represented their family at the event, making a show of fulfilling their societal duties.
“Wow! Ms. Goodridge and Mr. Sutherland, you guys sure do have a unique taste, taking your romance all the way to a funeral,” Tiffany remarked, her tone mocking. She looked at Raylee’s wrist, gripped by Casimir. “If I’m not mistaken, weren’t you engaged to my paternal half-brother, Ms. Goodridge? What’s the matter? Jeremiah has barely passed away, and you’re already eager to rekindle your old flame with your ex, aren’t you? Well, the romantic entanglements of men and women these days are truly complicated. I’m getting on in years; I can’t keep up with the trends of you young folks!”
When Raylee met Tiffany’s hateful gaze, her heart skipped a beat. It’s over. Casimir is a real jinx, always bringing trouble my way! Tiffany had been fond of Casimir, and that wasn’t a recent development. Four years prior, it was because of that very reason that she had Raylee locked up in prison for four years. That day, history was repeating itself, and Raylee was once again entangled with the man Tiffany fancied.
“Casimir, I don’t mean to meddle, but is it really appropriate for you to be so ambiguously close with an adopted girl? Mind your image. The Lorimer family doesn’t want to get embarrassed,” Rosalind warned before promptly leaving with Tiffany. One couldn’t hide the look in their eyes. When they brushed past each other, Raylee could even feel the murderous aura radiating from Tiffany, suggesting she wished she could tear Raylee to pieces.
Layla stepped out to greet them, and she also witnessed that scene. She was already feeling down, and seeing the two of them entangled just made her lose her temper.
“That’s enough, you pair of shameless people. Jeremiah has barely been laid to rest. If you want to fool around, at least have the decency to do it far away from here. Don’t tarnish his funeral with your disgraceful presence!”
“Ms. Layla, you’ve got it wrong. I have no relation with Casimir whatsoever. Please don’t misunderstand,” Raylee rushed to explain, but it only fueled Layla’s anger even more.
“No relation whatsoever? Can’t I see it for myself? Are you assuming I’m blind? I really don’t know what Jeremiah saw in you. You are nothing more than a promiscuous woman!”
With that, Layla, filled with intense anger, returned to the funeral. The last two words uttered by Layla deeply pierced through Raylee’s heart. However, she had no choice but to suffer in silence.
2:55 PM
Chapter 177: A Jinx (Continued)
She then lifted her gaze, glaring fiercely at Casimir. “Are you satisfied now? Your goal is to have the whole world believe I’m a promiscuous woman, right? You’re happy to smear my reputation, aren’t you? Casimir, you really are despicable! Let go of me right now, or I’m going to scream for help. After all, we might as well get embarrassed together!”
Casimir let her go, a hint of panic flashing across his handsome face. “I didn’t mean to smear your reputation. I was just concerned for your safety—”
“I don’t need your kindness. It’ll only harm me!” Raylee exclaimed, her face flushing with anger.
“How have I harmed you? Layla is fuming, and you still insist on approaching her. That’s just asking for trouble. I was protecting you. What did I do wrong?”
“I’m talking about Tiffany!” Raylee said, clearly annoyed.
“Tiffany? What’s her connection to all this?” Casimir asked, his face filled with confusion.
“Do you really not know?” Raylee was at a loss for words.
“Do I really not know what?”
Raylee didn’t have the time to explain to him. She glared at him fiercely and said, “I don’t care if you’re genuinely foolish or just pretending to be. Either way, just keep your distance and stop bothering me!”
As she spoke, Raylee dashed into the mourning hall without looking back. Layla held a memorial portrait of Jeremiah, kneeling on the ground as she sobbed quietly. Raylee tried to console her with a few soothing words, but all she received in return was cold indifference.
“You can leave now. I don’t need your insincere gestures of goodwill here, and neither does Jeremiah.”
“Ms. Layla, my condolences.”
Raylee could empathize with Layla’s feelings and had no intention of bringing trouble upon herself. Just as she was preparing to leave, Rosalind and Tiffany approached together.
Observing Layla, whose eyes were reddened from crying, Tiffany revealed a look of disdain and gloated, saying, “Oh, dear… Such a pitiful little sister. Your only brother has passed away, and there’s no one left to protect you. What if your turns abusive in the future? Who will be there to fight him off?”