Chapter 338: Enemies Often Cross Paths
The rain was incessant. As Raylee cast a glance at the dreary, rainy weather outside the window, she thought about Vera, who had passed away less than a year ago. That pitiful elderly woman only had her and Hazel by her side during her final moments. People often say that raising a child is a means of providing for old age, but what's the use when the child you raised is a good-for-nothing like Alaric? As his mother lay on her deathbed, he was preoccupied with celebrating his little princess’s birthday at home. He found the hospital atmosphere too gloomy and didn’t even want to visit her. Following Grandma’s passing, they didn’t even hold a funeral for her; instead, they hastily had her cremated.
This was a pain that Raylee simply could never let go of. She despised her own frailty, for she had fainted from excessive grief after Vera’s death, failing to even preserve the latter’s final dignity. Six months ago, after she was taken away by the masked man, she never visited her grandmother’s grave again. Taking advantage of the free time that day, she decided it was the perfect opportunity to visit and tend to Vera’s grave.
Plumpy drove her to the cemetery. Enemies often cross paths, and she certainly did immediately after stepping out of the car. Casimir and Waverly had also come to pay respects to their ancestors. As for whether it was the ancestors of the Sutherland family or the Goodridge family, she had no idea. Waverly was affectionately linking arms with Casimir, a sign that their relationship had significantly deepened recently.
Upon seeing Raylee, Casimir reacted as if he had been caught red-handed, guiltily pushing Waverly away. He then immediately clarified, saying, “Ray-Ray, my relationship with Wavy isn’t what you think it is. I came to pay respects to my ancestors today, and Wavy happened to be free, so I decided to bring her along.” His explanation was full of contradictions. However, Raylee had no interest in knowing the specifics of their relationship. She didn’t respond, not even granting him an extra glance. Instead, she headed straight for Vera’s gravestone.
“Ray-Ray, don’t leave! Listen to me…” Casimir wanted to catch up to her and explain himself, but Waverly reached out and held him back. “Casimir, let me explain things to Raylee. Don’t worry; I know exactly what to tell her.” Observing the reassuring gaze Waverly offered him, Casimir gratefully nodded in response. “Casimir, as I’ve said before, I’ll offer you and Raylee my blessings. I stand by my words,” Waverly reassured him again. Raylee had barely taken a few steps before she was stopped by Waverly.
Wearing an innocent expression on her face, Waverly pitifully tugged at her arm and said, “Raylee, you’ve misunderstood my relationship with Casimir. We’ve decided to call off our engagement. Soon, he will be single again. The reason we came to the cemetery together today was purely coincidental. I twisted my ankle a bit earlier and it was aching, which was why I was leaning on his arm. I’ve always known that you’re the one Casimir has feelings for. As such, I’ve decided to step aside and leave the field clear for you. Could you please not be mad at Casimir? I’m begging you, Raylee…”
He walked over and said in an equally pleading tone, “Ray-Ray, I can assure you, every word that Waverly said is true. Seeing as she has decided to step back, could you give me a chance?” Waverly was seething with anger inside. Envy and jealousy consumed her, making her wish she could have killed Raylee on the spot. She didn’t dare to show it, though. After days of experimenting, she had a thorough understanding of Casimir and realized that dealing with him required a gentle approach, not a rigid one. Softness can overcome strength, and only by constantly stepping back could she stand a chance of capturing this man’s heart completely.
And so, her eyes rimmed red as she said with a sob, “Casimir, Raylee, I’m going to use the restroom for a bit. You two can continue chatting.” Watching her thoughtfully make room for them, Casimir felt even more grateful, his sense of indebtedness deepening within. When Casimir’s gaze fell upon Raylee once more, he was utterly captivated by her, both in his eyes and in his heart. It had been about ten days since he last saw her, and she had become even more beautiful. It was a wonder how she cared for her skin, which was so fair and rosy that it resembled a peeled egg’s clear and luminous complexion. Her eyes sparkled, reminiscent of stars in the night sky, and on her delicate cheeks were two deep dimples. They were sweet and endearing, radiating an endless charm. Even though she was just standing there, not doing or saying anything, her every expression still made one feel as if they were basking in the warmth of spring. Casimir found himself unknowingly captivated by her stunning and enchanting beauty yet again.
Feeling his obsessed gaze, Raylee took a step back in disgust. The feeling of being leered at by a disgusting person was akin to being covered in maggots; it was so revolting that it could make one want to vomit out even the meal they had eaten a year ago. “Ray-Ray, can we find a quiet place to talk, just the two of us?” Casimir suggested courteously. “No.” Raylee shot him a cold glance, intending to walk past him and leave.