Chapter 197: All in the Past
Casimir was confused. How did the necklace I instructed Bertrand to deliver to Raylee end up around Waverly’s neck? Why did Bertrand say those words to Waverly? Who managed to sway Bertrand’s loyalty? Who pulled the strings behind the scenes? Raylee must have something to do with what happened tonight.
“You can stop looking. Ray—Ray has already gone home,” Shanice’s voice rang out from behind Casimir.
“She was here… the whole time?” Casimir’s brow knitted tightly. “Did she see everything?”
“Of course. Your gallant rescue of your fiancée was so spectacular, it might as well go down in history,” Shanice said, her tone dripping with mockery.
Casimir’s expression stiffened.
“I had no choice. I couldn’t just stand by and let Tiffany take Waverly, forcing her to relive the same fate Raylee once endured. As a man, if I can’t even protect my own fiancée, what does that say about me?”
“If it weren’t for what happened to Raylee, I’d actually applaud you for standing up for your woman like that tonight. I’d even call you a real man. But why are you being so unfair? Four years ago, Raylee was your fiancée too. When Tiffany targeted and bullied her, you didn’t lift a finger to defend her! Is it because Raylee isn’t a blood relative of the Goodridge family? Does that make her less deserving, while Waverly, being the real heiress, somehow holds greater value? You men are always so pragmatic, only standing up for those you deem worthwhile! It was truly tragic for Ray—Ray. Back then, not a single person stood by her side!”
Casimir’s eyes flickered with a tinge of conflict. “This has nothing to do with whether she’s a real heiress or not. Don’t play armchair critic. If you had been in my shoes back then, you’d have been just as helpless.”
Shanice bristled at his words: “Maybe you’re right. If I were in your shoes, I can’t say I would have done any better. But one thing I know for certain—if my fiancée had been falsely accused, I would have done whatever it took to defend her! Raylee didn’t steal Tiffany’s necklace. She was innocent, and everyone in the Goodridge family knew it. You’ve been manipulated, and now you’re being used without even realizing it.”
Casimir shook his head, his denial unwavering. “She wasn’t falsely accused; she really did steal the necklace. Besides, at the time, Mr. Victor’s legal wife was embroiled in business disputes with the Goodridge family. Raylee knowingly stepped into the crossfire. If she hadn’t taken unnecessary risks, she wouldn’t have ended up in trouble. It was a mess of her own making.”
Shanice’s mind wandered to the rumors she had heard four years ago. Back then, Goodridge Group was rising rapidly, gaining more power with each passing day. Fueled by greed, Alaric began expanding into gray industries, encroaching on Rosalind’s territory. Rosalind was no ordinary woman. She came from a family with influence in both the underworld and elite social circles. Her power was immense. The stubborn Alaric, however, refused to back down. He pushed on with a futile battle, only to lose miserably and eventually flee. Following that, Kaylee was caught in the crossfire.
Casimir’s voice grew heavier as he continued, “I heard that Mrs. Lorimer originally planned to have Raylee killed as a warning to the Goodridge family. For some reason, she ended up being imprisoned for theft instead. Considering the circumstances at the time, her imprisonment could almost be seen as the least severe punishment she could have faced.”
Shanice scoffed, her irritation evident. “The least severe punishment? Raylee was tortured in prison. How could that possibly be considered the least severe? Once the storm had settled, why didn’t the Goodridge family step in to save her? Why didn’t you? With just a little effort, she wouldn’t have had to endure so much suffering!”
Casimir’s expression turned serious as he reflected on the past. “The Goodridge family was barely holding on back then. They were desperate to distance themselves from Raylee. And me? My position in the Sutherland family was hanging by a thread. Dad’s illegitimate kids were plotting against me, stirring up nonstop drama in the boardroom. You joined the company later. You remember the chaos I was dealing with, don’t you?”
Shanice nodded in reluctant understanding. “I get it. I’m not blaming you. I suppose we can only chalk it up to Raylee’s misfortune…”
Casimir said with a tone of deep regret, “What I truly regret is not arranging for someone to check on her regularly. If I had known she would endure such terrible suffering in prison, I would have stepped in to help her without hesitation.”
“It’s all in the past now. Bringing it up changes nothing. But what I still don’t understand is how you concluded that Raylee stole the necklace. Do you have any actual evidence? Raylee insisted she didn’t steal it, and I believed her. As a wealthy heiress at the time, I couldn’t see why she would resort to theft.”
Casimir’s expression turned serious. “I do. I was the one who tampered with the surveillance footage back then. To keep the Lorimer family from getting hard proof, I stayed completely clear-headed and immediately hired a hacker to disrupt the recordings.”