Chapter 297: Bigger Surprise
Mindy explained, “I wasn’t targeting Tiffany. My real objective was Raylee. I have no idea how Tiffany got involved. It’s just my bad luck! But there’s no point in discussing it now. You need to get me fifty million as soon as possible. Corvaina is the Lorimer family’s territory, and I can’t hide here for long. I’m planning to escape to a nearby small country.”
Waverly firmly refused. “I can’t come up with fifty million all at once, but I have about half a million in cash that I can give you right now.”
“Half a million? That’s barely enough to cover the smuggler’s commission!” Mindy had completely lost her patience. “If you’re so strapped for cash, why not just ask your family? Tens of millions are pocket change for them. You’re my only hope right now. If you don’t help me, then we’ll both go down together!”
Faced with repeated threats, Waverly snapped indignantly, “This mess isn’t my fault! How is it even fair that you’re dragging me into the trouble you caused? Do you have any idea how many of your debts I’ve already picked up?”
“You’re talking about fairness when I’m practically hanging by a thread?” Mindy screamed hysterically.
“I never said I wouldn’t help you!” Despite her annoyance, Waverly took a deep breath and tried to reason with her. “But please, think about it. If I were to ask them for such a huge sum of money right now, wouldn’t it raise suspicion? Wouldn’t the police get involved? Do you think they’re that easy to fool? I’m planning to sell some of my jewelry and luxury items. I should be able to scrape together three to four million. I’ll give you that first, and once things calm down, I’ll help you bit by bit.”
Mindy begrudgingly agreed, “Fine. Gather the money today and meet me at our usual spot. I’ll be waiting there.”
Without hesitation, Waverly sold off her jewelry and luxury possessions, quietly converting them into cash. Little did she know that every move she made was being monitored by the police. By evening, she had finally managed to put together three to four million. Not daring to transfer the money to Mindy, she immediately drove back to her hometown—the place where she and Mindy had grown up together.
When she arrived at their familiar meeting spot, Waverly found Mindy looking utterly haggard. She scolded, “You need to leave immediately. You can’t stay here any longer.”
“Don’t forget to gather the rest of the money as soon as possible. I’m planning to sneak into Celestria first. There will be plenty of expenses along the way.”
With those words, Mindy grabbed the cash and bolted.
She had barely dashed out of the hair salon when a police car pulled up. A group of highly trained police officers closed in, their weapons aimed at her. Furious, she spun around and glared at Waverly. “You traitor! You sold me off!”
Waverly, caught off guard, stammered, “I didn’t do anything! I have no idea how this happened!”
Meanwhile, at Royal Court, Raylee had unknowingly ingested a drugged drink. The substance coursed through her body, causing her temperature to spike uncontrollably. The masked man, alarmed, summoned a medical team to the mansion without delay. He stayed close, keeping watch for any sudden changes in Raylee’s condition, and personally wiped the cold sweat from her skin. As he cared for her, his eyes fell on her back, which was marred by an array of scars. His chest tightened at the sight. These weren’t caused by the drug. Her strength was fading, her vitality slipping away. The thought of Angela saying she had less than six months left to live pierced his heart with a deep, unrelenting ache. Other than pressuring the Epean professor for the experimental data, he was completely out of ideas on how to save her.
“What’s wrong?” Raylee, lying weakly, noticed the man suddenly freeze.
“Nothing,” he quickly replied, masking his turmoil. In a calm tone, he asked, “Have you noticed anything unusual with your body lately?”
“Yes. A few days after you left for East Aploth, I started feeling this deep, aching pain in my bones. It happens several times a day—sometimes in my hands, other times in my legs. The pain only lasts a few seconds, but it keeps coming back. Interestingly enough, it hasn’t happened in the past few days.”
“It’s completely normal,” the masked man assured her, his tone deliberately calm to prevent her from dwelling on it. “That’s just a side effect of the scar removal cream.” Wanting to divert her attention, he smoothly switched topics. “I won’t let the incident at the banquet slide. Mindy has already been apprehended. I’ll make sure she’s handled properly in the detention center. And after her sentencing, let’s just say, there’s an even bigger surprise in store for her.”
Raylee was taken aback. She had assumed that Mindy would be able to evade capture for some time. Yet, Mindy was caught so quickly. Then again, it was hardly surprising. After all, she had offended the eldest daughter of the Lorimer family. The Lorimer family wasn’t just influential in the financial world; they wielded absolute power and stood above the law. In Corvaina, the Lorimer family was considered second only to one, yet their influence overshadowed countless others. When someone of such prominence faced trouble, it was inevitable that the entire Jexburgh would feel the ripples.