Chapter 187: Groundless Accusations
As she spoke, her eyes welled up, turning a shade of red, revealing her usual trick of playing the victim. Harriet then said with a heavy heart, “Wavy, my sweet girl, I know you’ve been suffering. In a few years, when the tension between the Goodridge and Lorimer families has eased, you can try to integrate into their circle again.”
“I don’t want that,” Waverly said, determined to have her way. “If you’re worried, Mom, you, Samuel, and Dad can come with me,” she suggested.
Samuel studied her from head to toe, his face full of doubt. “Wavy, you seem off today. Have you been in contact with someone?”
“No, I’ve made up my mind about attending this banquet, so no one should try to dissuade me!” Waverly declared with firm resolve.
Over at Goodridge Manor, just after Raylee had helped Vera into the room for an afternoon nap, Samuel suddenly showed up at her door. She lifted her gaze, her voice dripping with disdain. “Oh? Mr. Goodridge, to what do I owe this displeasure!”
“Quit acting so strange. Let me ask you something. Have you spent any time alone with Wavy these past few days?”
As soon as Samuel arrived, he began to interrogate relentlessly. Raylee speculated that he must have noticed something; however, he couldn’t find any evidence. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have made such a grand entrance to confront and interrogate her.
Raylee let out a scoff. “What’s the matter? Has your dear sister run into trouble? What kind of trouble? Do tell! It would certainly brighten my day!”
Upon hearing those words, Samuel flew into a rage. “You actually wish for something bad to happen to Wavy, don’t you? How could your heart be so cruel! Let me give you a warning. Wavy is my sister. If you dare harm her, I will never let you off the hook!”
“Aren’t you the overprotective brother?” Raylee teased, staring at him. “The Goodridge family has kept such a close eye on her that they’re practically keeping her under house arrest. How would I have any chance to interact with her alone? You didn’t even bother to find out the whole story, did you? You just stormed into Goodridge Manor hurling insults, disturbing Grandma’s peace. Do you think that’s appropriate, Mr. Goodridge?”
Samuel stared intently at Raylee, attempting to discern any hint of irregularity from her expression. However, Kaylee was too composed. He simply couldn’t fathom her emotions. Yet, he couldn’t help but voice his discontent, saying, “Wavy must have been swayed by you. That’s why she’s adamant about attending Tiffany’s birthday party! I heard you attended Jeremiah’s funeral. Recently, you’re the only one who’s been in contact with the Lorimer family. If it wasn’t you, then who could it be? You know very well how much Tiffany despises our family. Sending Wavy there will only put her in danger. You clearly intend to use this opportunity to get rid of Wavy!”
“You truly are something, aren’t you? You’ve perfected the art of making groundless accusations,” Raylee said, her sarcasm unrestrained. “Can I eliminate Waverly just by having attended the Lorimer family’s funeral and interacted with their kin? If that were truly the case, Waverly would have probably died a hundred times over, wouldn’t she? How else could she have survived until now?”
Samuel was speechless. In truth, he had no proof that Waverly had been in contact with Kaylee privately. His sixth sense simply told him that this matter was related to Raylee.
“Indeed, the prejudices in one’s heart are dangerous…” sighed Raylee. “Just because I bear a grudge against you guys, you assume that any harm that befalls Waverly is my doing. However, have you ever considered who was the architect of my tragedy? Indeed, I confess that if there was an opportunity to eliminate Waverly right in front of me, I would undoubtedly seize it without hesitation! Yet, before we proceed any further, please put away all your baseless accusations!”
Samuel deeply furrowed his brows. Could it be that I’ve truly misjudged Raylee? In hindsight, what exactly is it about Raylee that could compel Wavy to attend the banquet?
“I don’t understand. It’s just a birthday party. What’s the harm in letting her attend?” Raylee cast a cold, downward glance at Samuel. “If it comes to that, your whole family can just go with her! Over these past four years, however you’ve been protecting her, just keep doing it. I heard that four years ago, your father sacrificed several major projects just to protect her from Tiffany’s harm! You clearly have the power to mobilize your entire family to ensure her safety, yet you’ve amusingly chosen to come here to confront and interrogate me. I really don’t understand just how despicable I am in your heart.”
A great deal of Samuel’s worries faded away once he heard those words. Raylee was right. Given the capabilities of the Goodridge family, they could undoubtedly ensure Waverly’s safety.