Chapter 91: Your Value Goes Far Beyond
“Really? Anything?” Jeremiah’s gaze locked onto hers, intense and unyielding. His eyes carried a possessive weight, as though he had claimed Raylee as his own, determined to possess every part of her. The deep timbre of his voice left no room for misinterpretation, and Raylee felt its meaning resonate within her. Her face betrayed a sense of urgency, as if her very soul was being suffocated. Though a wave of rejection surged through her, she reminded herself that beggars can’t be choosers.
Summoning her courage, she lifted her eyes to meet his commanding stare. As a woman, she carried an innate allure, and her gaze shimmered with a fiery intensity that seemed to ignite the space between them. Her voice, tinged with playful coyness, broke the tension.
“Mr. Lorimer, it’s true. As long as it brings you happiness, I’m willing to oblige.”
Jeremiah found himself captivated by her—her words, her eyes, her very essence. It was as though an invisible force drew him closer, unable to resist her magnetic charm. His throat tightened as his slender index finger traced a deliberate path from Raylee’s forehead to her dimple. His tone was light, almost teasing.
“You’re certainly attractive, but I’m not particularly interested.”
Raylee was stunned by his words. Not interested? Does he mean women in general, or just me? Perhaps I have overestimated myself. Four years ago, she had been widely admired for her beauty. The only compliment Casimir had ever given her was that she had been beautiful from childhood to adulthood. Her gaze dropped to her own disabled body, and a wave of embarrassment washed over her.
Raylee furrowed her brows and, with a determined shift in tone, steered the conversation in a more serious direction.
“Aren’t you worried the Goodridge family will find out and confront you if you take me out of the country? I may not have been born into the Goodridge family, but I’ve lived with them for eighteen years. They see me as one of their own—they wouldn’t simply turn a blind eye to my absence.”
Jeremiah’s lips curled into a sardonic smile as his sharp gaze lingered on her.
“How amusing, my darling Ray-Ray. Are you seeking the protection of the Goodridge family? Why would they care if I take you abroad for a bit of fun? Even if I forbid you to return for the rest of your life, or even if you die, they won’t say a thing.”
Kaylee fell silent. What was I even thinking? Considering my fractured relationship with the Goodridge family, they would likely feel relieved if I disappeared entirely.
Jeremiah reached out and gently tousled her hair in what appeared to be an affectionate gesture, though his presence exuded an unnerving intensity that made it impossible to feel at ease.
“Don’t worry,” he said, “the lavish betrothal gift I provided has taken care of everything. They won’t give a second thought to your whereabouts, except for Old Mrs. Goodridge. I mean, what kind of storm could an old woman in her eighties possibly stir up?”
A sense of sorrow was evident on Raylee’s face. The family she had once cherished as her entire world could no longer stand by her side.
Chapter 91: Your Value Goes Far Beyond
This trip to East Aploth felt like a one-way journey. She feared she might never return. The odds were stacked against her, and she might risk her very life.
She had once thought the Goodridge family embodied the height of cruelty, but Jeremiah had proven there was always someone worse. If she had known she would face a devil like him, she might have preferred to die in prison. What was the point of escaping, only to end up here?
Pushing through her sadness, Raylee refused to let the matter rest.
“Why are you bringing me to East Aploth? Why do you want to kill me? We don’t have any deep-seated grudges, do we? If this is about the pebble bracelet, you’re overreacting. My relationship with Casimir ended long ago. A bracelet doesn’t mean anything.”
“The bracelet is merely a catalyst to speed up my plans to take you abroad,” Jeremiah said, his tone heavy with implication.
“So, you’re saying that you’ll eventually take me there?” Raylee asked in astonishment. “What exactly are you planning to do? Is it like the rumors say that you sold off your previous fiancées, and now you’re planning to sell me too?”
Jeremiah’s brows furrowed slightly. “It seems you know quite a bit about me!”
Puzzled, Raylee asked, “Then at least sell someone who looks normal! Look at me, I’m so skinny and even have a Level Four disability. This broken body of mine is nothing more than a walking corpse! Someone like me wouldn’t fetch much value if you sold me.”
Jeremiah’s lips curved into a faint smile as he studied her intently. “Don’t underestimate yourself. You’re a woman, and an exceptionally attractive one at that. Your worth is immense. But your value goes far beyond your physical beauty.”
“What do you want to do?” Raylee’s mind raced with horrifying possibilities, thoughts of human trafficking sending chills down her spine. The East Aplothian region was notorious for its criminal underworld, rife with illicit activities—drugs, adult entertainment, kidnappings, phone scams, organ trafficking.