Chapter 194: Counting Your Lucky Stars

The situation had spiraled out of control. Waverly had publicly injured someone—and not just anyone; Tiffany’s assistant. This was far worse than simply knocking over a cake. The guests erupted into chaos, scattering as if avoiding a disaster, keeping a safe distance from Waverly. Some frantically called the police, while others shouted for their bodyguards. The birthday party hadn’t even begun, yet the scene was already in complete disarray.

Samuel was at a loss for words over Waverly’s reckless actions. He couldn’t help but question her judgment. Knocking over the cake was bad enough, but injuring someone was practically inviting disaster.

Amid the commotion, Raylee stood frozen in shock. She was certain that Tiffany had deliberately orchestrated the cake-spilling incident. However, Waverly’s impulsive attack had exceeded even her expectations. This time, there seemed to be no way out, no escaping the repercussions. How fascinating!

As the situation spiraled out of control, Samuel didn’t have the luxury of time to dwell on details. He grabbed Waverly’s hand, determined to get her out of the banquet as quickly as possible. With Tiffany temporarily absent, escaping seemed like the safest choice. Unfortunately, fate had other plans.

Just as they reached the entrance, Tiffany appeared, flanked by her bodyguards. What they feared most had come true. It wasn’t just Waverly who was gripped by panic; Samuel felt the same unease tightening in his chest.

At that moment, Tiffany’s assistant, her face smeared with blood, hurried over in a frenzy and exclaimed, “Ms. Tiffany, Ms. Goodridge injured me, but that’s not the real issue here. She ruined your cake? You need to do something about it.”

Tiffany’s sharp gaze swept over the crowd before locking onto Waverly. Her voice was filled with fury as she barked, “You ruined my cake and injured my assistant? How dare you! Guards, seize her and take her to Lorimer Estate!”

The scene was eerily familiar to Waverly. She would never forget how, four years ago, Raylee had been detained in the exact same way by Tiffany’s bodyguards. Shortly after, news broke that Kaylee had been imprisoned. The thought of suffering the same fate left Waverly paralyzed with fear.

“She’s not going anywhere!” Samuel gripped Waverly tightly, facing Tiffany and her imposing bodyguards head-on. “Anyone who tries to lay a hand on my sister today will have to answer to me!”

The bodyguards exchanged glances, not daring to act recklessly.

“Mr. Goodridge, you certainly have a commanding presence. But your sister has committed an unforgivable offense, and she must face the consequences. Guards, seize her?” Tiffany exuded an air of authority, carrying herself like a queen ruling over her domain. Her commanding aura left no doubt about her superiority.

Samuel soon found himself locked in a struggle with two bodyguards. Despite his best efforts, he was eventually overpowered. Meanwhile, Waverly was restrained, her hands bound as though she were a criminal. The humiliation was unbearable.

Soft laughter rippled through the crowd, and some guests even pulled out their phones to capture the scene. Pictures of Waverly in her beleaguered state quickly made their way online. Samuel wrestled with the bodyguards; his voice rang out in fury.

“Tiffany, my sister made a mistake. You’re welcome to involve the police and let the law decide her punishment. It’s not your place to handle this personally. If you dare to take my sister away, the entire Goodridge family will not rest until this is…”

“Bring it on,” Tiffany said dismissively. “Let’s see if your determination outweighs the reputation of the Lorimer…”

Her gaze swept across the room before landing on Raylee. She raised an eyebrow, and Raylee responded with a knowing look. Their collaboration had been seamless, and the plan had unfolded perfectly.

“Ladies and gentlemen, as you’ve all witnessed, my birthday celebration cannot continue. Please feel free to do as you wish.” With that, Tiffany turned and left, her bodyguards escorting a sobbing Waverly behind her.

“Samuel, save me! I don’t want to die,” she wailed, her tears flowing uncontrollably. As she passed by Raylee, her anger found a target, and she shouted furiously, “Raylee, you did this, didn’t you? You’re despicable! Why would you try to hurt me! If I died… I’d come back to haunt you as a ghost!”

Raylee didn’t bother to respond. Shanice, however, couldn’t resist chiming in, “Even with everything falling apart, you’re still shooting your mouth off? You should’ve been gone four years ago. The extra time you’ve had is a blessing. You ought to be counting your lucky stars!”

“Don’t you dare take my sister, Tiffany! If you harm her, I swear I’ll kill you!” Samuel shouted, his voice filled with rage. But pinned to the ground by bodyguards, he was powerless to act. All he could do was watch in helpless frustration as Waverly was dragged away.

As Tiffany approached the entrance, a towering figure blocked her path. She looked up, her eyes meeting an extremely handsome face.