Chapter 239: I Might Have To Resign

Alaric huffed heavily. “You mean you want me to spare you? Hmph! You brat! Had I not taught you a lesson, you wouldn’t even know what it means to punch above your weight! Since I’m the victor here, I won’t make things too difficult for you. All you have to do is announce your engagement to Waverly within two days, and I’ll spare you!”

“Mr. Goodridge, there are countless suitors out there, many of whom are far more accomplished than I. Why are you so fixated on me?”

“I don’t care! Given the circumstances we’ve reached, you must marry Waverly regardless of whether you like it or not! Stop making things harder for yourself. Marry Waverly, and we can all work happily together. Both our families and businesses will thrive. I’ll even help you secure the position of CEO; what more could you possibly want?” Alaric said.

“Why can’t I marry Raylee? Isn’t she also your daughter? Does being an adopted daughter make her any less of a daughter?” Casimir asked, unable to hide his frustration.

“Could an adopted daughter ever be the same as a biological one? Casimir, give me a straight answer right now! Will you marry Waverly or not?”

After a moment of silence, Casimir finally nodded. “All right; I’ll marry her.”

He had come to the Goodridge family today, ready to back down, having already prepared himself mentally to marry Waverly. Yet, the moment he agreed, his heart ached profoundly. He didn’t have a choice, though. Being caught between his career and love, he really had no other choice. A man without a career would be less than a street rat. Such a man couldn’t possibly deserve to be with the woman he loved.

With that, the negotiation concluded, and Casimir left the Goodridge residence in a state of utter disarray. With joy filling her heart, Waverly ran after him and wrapped her arm around his.

“I just knew it, Casimir! I knew you would choose me in the end! For the rest of my life, I will value existence! I’ll work hard to prove that your decision not to give up on me was the absolute right one!”

Casimir didn’t push her away, yet a trace of imperceptible ruthlessness flickered in the depths of his eyes as he said, “Wavy, you just wait to become my bride. I’ll treat you well for the rest of my life.”

“I love you, Casimir!” That was the first time Waverly heard Casimir express his feelings for her, and she was so moved that she cried.

After reluctantly bidding farewell to Casimir, Waverly could hardly contain her excitement, and her eyes were still tinged with red. My extraordinary life is about to begin! I bet Raylee probably never imagined that she would lose Casimir like this, huh?

Alaric came over, patiently advising, “I lost a lot of money this time trying to stand up for you, so you need to be more sensible in the future and not resort to threats of suicide at every turn. The Sutherland family is not an insignificant one. After you’re married, your every word and action should reflect the grace and dignity of a young lady from a distinguished family. I’ve also sorted things out with the Lorimer family, so Tiffany won’t dare to bother you anymore. I won’t excessively limit your activities in the future either. Spend more time accompanying your mother to various social events, make friends within the upper-class society, and learn more about how to conduct yourself as a lady of high society.”

Waverly nodded enthusiastically. “Thank you, Dad, I promise I won’t let you down!”

After leaving the Goodridge family, Casimir met with Raylee. Seeing Casimir’s haggard appearance after half a month gave Raylee quite a scare. In her memory, Casimir had always been brimming with vitality and enthusiasm. He could look as he did now, with an unkempt beard, a greasy face, and messy hair.

She couldn’t help but express her heartache by asking, “I’ve come across some information about Sutherland Group and Goodridge Group in the media. So, are you still holding up okay?”

“Ray-Ray, I might have to resign…” Suddenly, Casimir grasped Raylee’s hand, asking her earnestly, “Would you still marry me if I had nothing left?”

Had it been four years ago, if Casimir had asked her this question, Raylee would have nodded without hesitation. Even if she had to starve with him, she felt their pure and untainted love was enough to sustain her. At that moment, however, Raylee looked up to meet his gaze, and after a moment, she shook her head, saying, “No.”

A flicker of disappointment instantly flashed through Casimir’s eyes. Following that, Raylee added, “So you must hang in there. Your status and aura were the reasons I chose to marry you!”

Casimir protested, “But you promised! You said that if I chose you, you’d never let me lose. What, just because I have nothing, you’re rejecting me now? You know what? I get it. I won’t bother you again.”

Then, with a resolve akin to a firm decision, Casimir turned and departed.

“Will you go back to Waverly?” Raylee called out to him.

Casimir let out a wry chuckle. “You’ve already rejected me, so what does my future path have to do with you? You pushed me to make a choice, but now you’ve left me utterly defeated… Even so, I’ve told you that I would make you fall in love with me again, and that promise holds for a lifetime. You despise Waverly, so I won’t reunite with someone you loathe. I’ll hold up on my own. Don’t worry, Ray-Ray. I’ll prove to you that I have more than enough ability to make you happy.”