Chapter 178: Violence and Carnage
Rosalind didn't even bother to pretend. She mocked and ridiculed Layla, saying, “You cry so beautifully, just like your late mother, such a charming vixen. It truly tugs at my heartstrings… How captivating. Perhaps I should offer you some advice. You should get out more and explore different places. Whenever you see a man, don't hesitate to give him a flirtatious glance. Who knows! You might catch the eye of a scion from another prestigious family. Perhaps if you find a second chance at love, you could naturally part ways with your abusive husband. Don't you agree with me?”
“What if her second husband turns out to be abusive? Mom, you shouldn’t just throw out advice to Layla. If she ends up unhappy, you’ll have to shoulder the blame,” Tiffany pulled Rosalind away, creating distance between her and Layla.
Tiffany cast a disdainful glance at Layla and scoffed. “Mom, let’s keep our distance from her. She’s a jinx. First, she caused her own mother’s death, and now her brother’s. Such an ominous thing. Let’s hope she doesn’t bring us bad luck too.”
“Good point. You always think things through, don’t you?” Rosalind said, covering her nose, her face showing clear signs of distaste.
Onlookers, close friends and family, witnessed this scene. Far from defending Layla, they sided with Rosalind, their faces unanimously revealing disdain. Rosalind’s demeanor clearly showed deep resentment toward Layla’s mother.
Raylee vaguely remembered hearing older folks talk about an intense confrontation between Rosalind and a mistress. It was described as a scene involving violence and carnage. The fact that Jeremiah and Layla found life difficult at Lorimer Estate was a circumstance tied to what had happened in the past.
At that moment, Layla was being ridiculed by Rosalind and Tiffany, but all she could do was silently endure it. From childhood to adulthood, such scenes had occurred countless times. Layla seemed accustomed to it. Even though her heart was filled with resentment, she felt powerless to resist. After all, her existence was deemed a humiliation.
Raylee watched Layla, alone and helpless, feeling a pang of sorrow. Suddenly, she remembered the day in the courtyard house when Bayla tearfully revealed that her mother and brother had passed away, leaving her an orphan with no one to rely on. She was right. Her status as the illegitimate daughter within the strictly hierarchical Lorimer family, which placed great importance on blood relations, inevitably rendered her father dispensable. If her mother had been favored, she might have risen in status by association. However, her mother had passed away long ago. At that moment, the only brother who could protect her had also passed away.
Unable to hold back, Raylee stepped forward to defend Layla, saying, “Mrs. Lorimer, today is Jeremiah’s funeral, with all friends and family present. It isn’t quite right to put Ms. Layla in such a difficult position, is it? You’re Mr. Victor’s legal wife while your daughter is his biological daughter. Have you no regard for basic courtesy and reputation?”
Upon hearing those words, both Rosalind and Tiffany showed expressions of surprise. After her surprise, Tiffany flew into a rage out of humiliation. “Since when has it become your place, an outsider, to meddle in the Lorimer family’s affairs?”
As the lady of the house of the prominent Lorimer family in Jexburgh, Rosalind had always lived in luxury and held herself above others. However, she was surprisingly criticized in public—by just an insignificant adopted daughter.
Hence, Rosalind instantly flew into a rage. “Gosh! The world is becoming more and more incomprehensible to me. A mere adopted daughter from a minor family actually dares to criticize me! I see you Goodridge family folks are really stirring things up, even daring to f*ck with me!”
Faced with the harsh reprimands, Raylee didn’t shy away. Instead, she held her head high, confronting Rosalind and Tiffany. “Mrs. Lorimer, you’re a lady of the house of a prominent family. How could you speak so crudely? Doesn’t that make you a laughingstock? Moreover, my family, the Goodridge family, is not just some minor family. We’re ranked third in Jexburgh! My father, Alaric, is so powerful that he’s bound to surpass you all one day!”
By the end, a hint of defiance lingered on Raylee’s face. She didn’t mind letting the Goodridge family take the blame. Raylee wasn’t close to Layla four years ago; then, she wouldn’t have thought it worthwhile to offend Rosalind on Layla’s behalf. However, for a mere necklace, Tiffany made Raylee endure four years of imprisonment. Hence, Raylee didn’t mind offending Rosalind anymore. She decided to go all in, venting her frustrations and simultaneously standing up for Layla.
“Who do you think you are, daring to utter such outrageous words? Your father? Surpassing us? That’s simply preposterous!”
Tiffany, unable to contain her rage, raised her hand and delivered a harsh slap across Raylee’s face. Slap! The sound of a resounding slap echoed. Raylee took a hit that knocked her head to the side, but she remained defiant. Gritting her teeth, she glared at Tiffany and said, “Go ahead! Take my life if you dare. My father and brother will seek vengeance for me. They won’t let you off the hook!”
“How dare you challenge me? You have some nerve!”