Chapter 316: The Orchid Room
Waverly had no idea the situation was so grave. Her face was a picture of panic and confusion. She quickly apologized, “I’m sorry, Dad, Mom, Samuel. I shouldn’t have been solely focused on the dowry. I should have been there to help you all bear this burden. It was my inability to discern what truly mattered. Please forgive me.”
Harriet sighed and said, “If you truly want to ease our worries, go talk to Casimir and have him assist us in finding a suitable workspace as soon as possible. After all, you two are engaged, so he is obligated to help us overcome this crisis.”
Alaric nodded. “Exactly, instead of worrying about losing your dowry and him not marrying you, why not find a way to win his heart? That, or find a way to keep him bound to you! Use your charm as a woman and make him unable to ever leave you. That’s what you need to do right now. Do you understand?”
Samuel said indignantly, “Who knows what Casimir is up to these days? I can’t even get a hold of him. He’s not intentionally avoiding us, is he?”
Upon hearing these words, a jolt of surprise made Waverly’s heart leap. Even married couples would often abandon each other in times of crisis, let alone unmarried ones like herself and Casimir. Would he abandon me and dissolve our engagement upon witnessing the trouble my family is in? No way! I absolutely cannot let that happen!
Waverly gritted her teeth fiercely and clenched her fists tight. She was absolutely not going to give up on a backer like Casimir, so she would have to find a way to bind him tightly to her. That way, even if the Goodridge family had fallen, she would still have the protection of her status as the lady of the Sutherland family. Even though she was not valued in the Sutherland family, she was not entirely worthless. In any case, there was absolutely no way she would live in poverty again.
“Mom, Dad, don’t worry. I’m going to find Casimir right now. I’ll make sure to persuade him to help our family through this crisis!” Waverly assured them with a resolute gaze.
Harriet advised her solemnly, “Wavy, he might not agree to see you. If you need to meet him, then go straight to his house. With Old Mr. Sutherland around, he wouldn’t dare to break off the engagement so easily.”
Samuel agreed. “Mom’s right. Let’s confront him at his house. He can’t hide forever!”
Meanwhile, Raylee had been invited by the masked man to come watch the show at Snow Wave Amusement Park. She was outside the car, witnessing the entire process of the Goodridge family being expelled from the front of the headquarters building. She also saw Alaric collapse and being rushed to the hospital. In the courtyard mansion to the east, she saw Waverly’s beloved mansion being seized. She was hysterical, yet powerless to do anything. This was the Goodridge family’s moment of desperation and despair, so she had to be there to witness everything.
After watching the show, Raylee entered the mansion with delicate steps. The courtyard was filled with a myriad of vibrant flowers and plants, all of which were Waverly’s favorites. Next to it, a path had been meticulously crafted by hand. A gentle breeze swept in, causing delicate ripples to form on the lake’s surface, creating a sense of tranquility and delight. Once upon a time, she too had her own luxurious room in the Goodridge family’s mansion.
Whenever Samuel and Alaric went on business trips, they always made sure to check if the local area had any valuable orchids. Whatever she fancied, they would spare no expense to purchase and present it to her. The Orchid Room held such a familiar charm for her. It was where she had lived from her youngest years, filled to the brim with countless memories of happiness and sweetness. However, all of that came to an end the day Waverly returned. Upon her return, the first thing that caught her eye was that room. Because she felt compassion for Waverly, she made the painful decision to let it go. In order to ensure her peace of mind while staying at the Goodridge residence, she even went out of her way to move into the Goodridge Manor to live with Vera. However, when she was about to move her beloved orchids to the Goodridge Manor, she realized that Waverly had destroyed all of her orchids and replaced them with rose lilies. When she held the ruined orchids, crying her heart out, all Waverly did was say half-heartedly, “I had no idea you were so fond of these weeds, Raylee. I thought you didn’t want them, so I destroyed them all. Sorry about that!”