Chapter 243: Shocking Revelation
Hazel choked up and said, “You must stay strong, Ray-Ray. You’ve already endured four years of hardship during your imprisonment, so you can surely overcome this minor challenge now.”
“Hazel, could I possibly borrow your phone to make a call?”
“Sure.”
Raylee then took Hazel’s phone and dialed Casimir’s number. The call connected quickly, and Casimir’s familiar voice came through shortly after. “Hello? Who is this?”
Raylee suddenly burst into laughter. It turned out that Casimir’s phone wasn’t switched off at all; he had simply blocked her number.
Upon hearing her laughter, Casimir immediately recognized her and said in a serious tone, “We should refrain from contacting each other for a while.”
“You’re really despicable, Casimir! I was wondering why you chose me in front of Waverly, and why you were willing to oppose them for my sake! So, you were after my shares all along! How could I have been so naive? Mr. Sutherland, who has always been profit-oriented, suddenly finds the courage to confront Alaric for my sake? I can’t believe I didn’t even see this coming! So, I wasn’t worthless after all, huh? You went to such great lengths just for my shares? I must say, you really put in quite the effort, Mr. Sutherland! Oh no, I’ve lost everything now and have become worthless again! You can all walk all over me again! Hahaha!” Raylee screamed hysterically.
Upon hearing Raylee’s hysterical laughter, Casimir didn’t even bother to explain himself. He simply hung up the phone. Upon dialing his number again, she heard the same automated message.
Wiping away the pitiful tears on her face, Raylee vowed that from that day forward, she wouldn’t shed another tear for Casimir.
Upon hearing the conversation, Hazel was initially taken aback. Soon after, she voiced her indignation, exclaiming, “Who would have thought that the usually mature and steady Mr. Sutherland would be so cunning on the inside! He’d stop at nothing just to deceive you out of your shares!”
“I let Grandma down! I failed to protect the wealth she entrusted to me! I deserve to die!” Raylee sobbed, covering her face with her hands.
“Don’t worry, Ray-Ray. We’ve fallen into the hands of a scumbag. Let’s just consider it a life lesson. As for the shares, think of them as a contribution toward his coffin,” Hazel comforted her.
Once Raylee had recovered a bit, she opened the lunch box and started eating the pasta that Hazel had made for her.
Today was her birthday, yet she found herself trapped in the sterile confines of a hospital, her heart filled with desolation. What should be my next move down this path? Casimir had tricked me out of my shares and teamed up with the powerful Goodridge family. His position in the Sutherland family has become even more secure. Waverly has found her true love and is about to marry into the Sutherland family, poised to become the lady of the Sutherland family. Those scumbags all seem to be doing better than ever! Meanwhile, here I am, with my grandma, teetering on the brink of despair…
Raylee was unwilling to give up. She fervently encouraged herself to stay strong and endure it all. However, she was utterly lost about the path ahead and saw no way out of her current predicament.
Halfway through the night, still groggy from sleep, Raylee was abruptly awakened by Hazel. “Ray-Ray, there’s something I need to tell you. Brace yourself.”
Observing that Hazel’s eyes were swollen from crying, Raylee guessed, “Did something happen to Grandma?”
“Old Mrs. Goodridge is…” Hazel choked up, almost unable to get the words out. “She’s nearing her end, and she wishes to see you one last time.”
When Raylee rushed into her grandmother’s hospital room, the doctors had already removed the medical equipment from her body. Upon seeing Vera barely clinging to life, Raylee rushed to her side, her cries echoing with heart-wrenching sorrow.
“Grandma, please don’t leave me behind, please don’t…”
Vera weakly lifted her hand, rubbing Raylee’s head as she struggled to speak. “Don’t cry, my sweet child. Having you by my side in my final moments has already filled me with contentment. I have a secret to share with you. It’s about your origins. Come closer…”
Taken aback, Raylee didn’t dare to waste a moment, quickly leaning in to listen closely to Vera’s words.
“There’s a box in the safe of my room. It is wrapped in your swaddling clothes from when you were born, but I’ve never been able to open it. I spent many years researching your background and only found a few clues, but they were enough to prove that you’re not the daughter of that housekeeper. As for who your biological parents are, I have yet to find out. But what I can assure you is, it’s related to that box. If you’re keen on investigating, you could figure out a way to open the box…”
Before she could finish speaking, Vera weakly closed her eyes. Her hand went limp, slipping from Raylee’s face and falling heavily onto the bedsheet. She had completely lost consciousness.
Immediately, Raylee grabbed Vera’s hand and screamed at the top of her voice, “Grandma! Grandma! Don’t drift off to sleep now! Please wake up, I’m begging you…”
Several doctors rushed over and, after conducting a thorough examination, they said with a sigh, “You have our deepest condolences, Ms. Goodridge. The patient has passed away.”
“It can’t be! My grandma just fell asleep! She didn’t pass away! She’s still alive! Doctor, I beg you, can you please hurry up and treat her?”
Raylee slumped weakly by the bedside, clutching Vera tightly with both hands, her whole body shaking with sobs.
Hazel, who was teary-eyed, said, “Old Mrs. Goodridge was barely hanging on, probably to deliver her last words. Ray-Ray, since she’s already seen you and spoken her final words, it seems she left without any regrets. You need to stay strong.”