Chapter 228: True Intentions
“Earlier in the day, Shanice bought Raylee a lot of chili con carne. Guess what my sister did?” Waverly asked, her brow furrowed.
“Far from appreciating it, my sister dumped all the food onto my brother’s bed. I also heard her say that she only likes it when you take her out for chili con carne. She won’t accept it from anyone else. Dr. Shapiro, do you think this counts as an admission of her feelings for you?”
A wave of complex emotions suddenly surfaced in Percival’s eyes, alternating between conflict and joy. He couldn’t deny that his feelings for Raylee grew stronger with time. Upon hearing Waverly’s words, he couldn’t contain the excitement welling up within him.
“Dr. Shapiro, are you worried about something?” Waverly asked, trying to reassure him.
“My sister is an exceptional woman, and only a promising young man like you is worthy of her. If you truly have feelings for her, you shouldn’t hesitate to take the initiative. After all, my sister has already done so much, just short of telling you she loves you.”
Percival stared at Waverly, quickly recovering from his fantasies. I was almost beguiled by this woman’s sweet talk.
“Ms. Goodridge, please stop matchmaking people at will. Raylee and I are just ordinary friends. I have some matters to attend to, so I’ll be leaving now,” he responded nonchalantly before turning around to leave.
“Hey, Dr. Shapiro, don’t rush off.” Waverly hurried over to stop him. “Do you want me to arrange a meet-up with my sister?”
“Ms. Goodridge, don’t think I’m oblivious to your schemes. You’re deliberately trying to set me up with Raylee, aren’t you? That way, she won’t be able to compete with you for Casimir, right?” Percival exposed the true intentions behind her actions.
Waverly suddenly formed a scheme in her mind. “You’re right,” she admitted, “I am indeed worried about my sister spending time with my fiancé. I can tell that you have feelings for Raylee, and she didn’t reject your advances. How about we work together—”
Percival interrupted her coldly, “I would never do anything to hurt Raylee. Ms. Goodridge, you have chosen the wrong person to collaborate with. Also, if I ever notice you harming Raylee, I won’t show any mercy no matter who your family is.”
After issuing a warning, he decisively turned and walked away. Meanwhile, Waverly clenched her fists in indignation. She couldn’t comprehend why everyone seemed to side with Raylee. After much difficulty, she had finally won Casimir over and was engaged to him. Yet, the latter continued to long for Raylee. Samuel was her brother, yet his attention always seemed to be on Raylee too. Even Percival, who was an outsider, was utterly smitten by her.
Why? I have strived so hard to excel, yet why can’t I surpass Raylee, an ex-convict?
At that moment, a few bodyguards who had been waiting at the door walked over. One of the bodyguards spoke up. “Ms. Goodridge, if you’re done chatting, we should head home.”
“I know, can you stop rushing me already?” Waverly gave them an impatient glare. The Goodridge family treats me like I’m a criminal. I was merely meeting Mindy at the neighborhood café, yet they had to send bodyguards to keep an eye on me.
Chapter 228: True Intentions
After returning to Goodridge Manor, Raylee received another delivery. However, it wasn’t ordered by Samuel this time but by Percival. The order was delivered from the chili con carne restaurant he had taken her to previously, known for its taste and health benefits.
When Vera saw how excited Raylee was to open and eat it, she teased, “It seems like the chili con carne ordered by Dr. Shapiro is particularly delicious, isn’t it? If that scoundrel, Samuel, saw this, he’d probably blow a gasket. But who cares? As long as my granddaughter is happy, that’s all that matters.”
“Grandma, what do you think about Dr. Shapiro?” Raylee asked, lifting her gaze.
“I’ve not really spoken to him much, but whenever I’m ill, he was the one who performed the surgeries. Setting aside his personal character, his medical skills are exceptional.”
Listening to her grandmother’s endless praises, Raylee agreed wholeheartedly. No matter how one looked at it, Percival was a real catch. If she had to choose, she could honestly say that Percival was genuinely a good choice. However, she figured she was just overthinking it, for someone as remarkable as Percival would never be interested in her. When she spoke about him to her grandmother, it was also to put the latter at ease, hinting that there was someone she was interested in. This was just so the elderly Vera wouldn’t have to worry unnecessarily.
The two were engrossed in conversation when suddenly, a displeased voice echoed from the entrance. “It seems my sister is quite smitten with Dr. Shapiro. From the looks of it, she would love to have his children!”
“What are you doing here?” Upon seeing this unwelcome guest, Raylee frowned deeply.
“Of course I have good news!” Samuel stepped into the room, a smile spreading across his face as he looked at Vera. “Grandma, I came to propose a marriage for Raylee,” he said. “I have a good friend who has just returned from abroad. I can vouch for his character, and he’s quite tall and handsome. Can you guess who it is? Haha, it’s the youngest son of the Mulligan family, Halston Mulligan.”