Chapter 1 Four Years After Imprisonment

In Jexburgh, during the depths of winter, the biting cold made it feel like being trapped in an ice cellar. Inside the women's prison workshop, Raylee Somers, clad in her prison uniform, was sewing shoes. Her hands were swollen and red, tormented by chilblains and blisters, causing her unbearable pain. At that moment, a prison guard approached her and called out, “Raylee Somers, the Goodridge family has arranged for your bail. You're free to leave now.” The mention of the Goodridge family caused a wave of instinctual fear to sweep over Raylee, momentarily rendering her unable to comprehend the prison guard's words. Four years ago, her fate had taken a dramatic turn. On her eighteenth birthday, the very day she came of age, she transitioned from being a wealthy heiress to being labeled a thief. Her biological mother, a housekeeper, had secretly switched her identity with that of the true daughter of the Goodridge family. When the housekeeper confronted Raylee for money, the entire affair came to light. From that moment, Raylee's life took a bleak turn. She watched the Goodridge family tearfully embrace each other, sharing their longing and affection, while she stood awkwardly and cluelessly on the sidelines. In that instant, she had to accept the harsh reality. The father and mother she had known for eighteen years no longer belonged to her. After a long while, Alaric Goodridge finally noticed Raylee standing awkwardly to the side. He contemplated for a good amount of time before he gathered the courage to say, “Ray-Ray, even if Waverly returns, you will always be the eldest daughter of the Goodridge family. From this day forward, Waverly will be your little sister.” Harriet Carraway, realizing that she had been neglecting Raylee, also offered her comfort. “Ray-Ray, I will continue to love and care for you as if you were my own daughter.” Raylee had genuinely believed it. However, the humiliation came too swiftly. The Goodridge family was invited to the birthday banquet of the daughter of the prestigious Lorimer family, Tiffany Lorimer. At the banquet, they witnessed Waverly stealing the precious necklace belonging to Tiffany. They also witnessed firsthand as Waverly's best friend accused her of being a thief on the spot. Tiffany flew into a rage, even threatening to call the police and have her thrown into jail. Together, they fell silent, subconsciously deciding to let Raylee take the blame for Waverly. Despite being completely innocent, Raylee begged and struggled, but it seemed as if the entire world had turned against her. In the end, she was still sent to prison. At that moment, she realized she no longer had parents. “Hey, she's off to enjoy the good life, huh? Ladies, do you think she will forget about us once she's out?” the prison bully teased Raylee with a hint of contempt in her voice. In an instinctive response, Raylee found herself kneeling on the ground. “I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I was wrong. Please don't hit me,” she pleaded. The prison guard frowned impatiently. “Raylee Somers, come out!” It finally dawned on Raylee that she was getting out. The prison bully who used to pick on her would no longer be a threat. Under the watchful gaze of the prison bully, Raylee lowered her head and slowly moved away. After finalizing her release procedures, she donned her thin, worn-out casual clothes and was then escorted to the prison gates by a prison guard. From a distance, she saw a tall and slender figure leaning against a luxury car. The man was dressed in a glossy black satin shirt, its buttons partially undone. His piercing black eyes constantly radiated an aura of authority and power. Raylee gazed at the figure before her, feeling no joy at reuniting with a loved one. Instead, a lingering fear quickly enveloped her. Her already disabled leg began to throb with a dull pain again. He was Samuel Goodridge, the man she had considered her older brother for the past eighteen years. In order to appease the lady of the Lorimer family, he had specifically arranged for the prison bully to give her special attention. He was the source of all her suffering in prison. The cold wind was biting. What was colder than winter was the chill in Raylee's heart. Four years had passed. Raylee believed her heart had grown numb, but she still couldn't help feeling a deep sense of sorrow. She fought back the urge to cry. As she suppressed her inner negative emotions, Samuel had already started walking toward her. She was scared, terrified even, but she dared not hide. She knew that evasion would only invite more brutal treatment. Even though she had left the prison, this conditioned response had already taken root. “It's been a while. I'm sorry.” She bowed respectfully, her voice laced with a mix of fear and detachment. Samuel was taken aback for a moment. They hadn't seen each other in four years. To his surprise, the once haughty little princess, who thought the world of herself, began her first encounter with him with an apology. He had prepared himself for Raylee's outburst, anticipating her to demand justice as she did four years ago. However, instead of lashing out, she quietly slumped her shoulders, relinquishing the upright posture she once held. She appeared fearful, which was exactly what he had hoped for four years ago. Not only had she reached that point, but she had done so with such genuine sincerity. At that moment, he found himself unable to face it and accept it. In that brief instant, a wave of melancholy surged from the depths of his heart. He was like a defeated lion, exiled into a world of solitude, with only the cold and darkness for company. Samuel took a deep breath and began slowly, “Grandma missed you terribly. Given her advanced age and illness, Mrs. Lorimer specifically signed a letter of forgiveness to secure your early release from prison.” As soon as he finished speaking, Samuel realized his demeanor wasn't warm enough. He stepped forward, intending to gently embrace Raylee, but she avoided him. Samuel was momentarily stunned and pondered for a moment. His tone softened even more as he said, “It's all in the past now. I'm still your brother. Come with me.” Raylee's heart gave a fierce thump. He's still my brother? She had been waiting for these words for what felt like an eternity. When she was first imprisoned, she had waited every single moment for Samuel to come and rescue her. She couldn't believe that her brother, who had cared for her for eighteen years, could be so heartless. However, the bigger the hope, the greater the disappointment. From initial hope to subsequent disappointment, and finally to utter despair, reality harshly confirmed that all of this was indeed true. She no longer had any family. The path where Samuel came to her rescue had become a dead end in her heart. So, when the man who claimed to be her brother appeared before her, telling her he was there to take her away, she felt completely numb. She took a step back and bowed again, her tone indifferent as she said, “Thank you, Mrs. Lorimer, for signing the letter of forgiveness. And thank you, Old Mrs. Goodridge, for keeping me, an ex-convict, in her thoughts.” She spoke with an attitude of utmost respect. The warmth that once existed between family members was completely gone. Samuel, feeling agitated by this profound sense of distance, pinched the bridge of his nose and said with a hint of impatience, “Even though you've spent four years in prison, Dad said you're still the daughter of the Goodridge family. You don't need to dwell too much on your past imprisonment.” To him, his little sister, whom he had doted on since childhood, was not an ex-convict. However, to Raylee, his words were like nails on a chalkboard. Four years of imprisonment had taken its toll. Every day, she had toiled away in her degrading prison uniform, participating in the prison labor program. She endured hunger, sickness, and if she made a mistake, the punishment from the prison guards. The prison bully constantly found new ways to torment her. Her days in prison were nothing short of a realm of torment, a fate worse than death. Being the daughter of the Goodridge family seemed to only expose her to even harsher treatment. Upon seeing the sorrow on Raylee's face, Samuel gently patted her shoulder, his tone softening. “Let's go to the hospital to visit Grandma. We wouldn't want to keep her waiting.” He then turned and started walking toward the car. After a while, he glanced back and saw Raylee following at a steady pace, always maintaining a certain distance from him. What's the matter? Am I a monster? Does she really need to stay far away from me? Samuel found himself reminiscing about the times when Raylee would playfully cling to him, intensifying the restless longing in his heart. He quickened his pace toward his car. Four years of torment had taught Raylee a harsh lesson. She dared not upset the Goodridge family, fearing she might not be able to bear the consequences. So, even though the old injury in her calf was causing her excruciating pain, she dared not delay for even a moment. In her haste, she stumbled and fell, but she quickly picked herself up and continued her pursuit. When she arrived at the car, Samuel was already inside. The Goodridge family's driver, Gavin Whitlock, was still the same. As he got out of the car, he greeted her, “Hello, Ms. Goodridge,” and opened the backseat door. Instead of getting into the backseat, Raylee opened the passenger door and got in. The driver was somewhat taken aback. Samuel got out of the car, yanked open the passenger door, and pulled Raylee out. With a disregard akin to discarding trash, he ruthlessly threw her onto the ground. “If you find me so displeasing, then don't consider me your brother anymore!” Raylee bit her lip, and her ankle twisted again, causing her to wince in pain. Samuel, oblivious to her discomfort, continued to chastise her, “Raylee, I thought you had matured, but it seems you're still so naive. You think sitting in the passenger seat can hurt anyone? It only shows you're hopelessly degrading yourself! How dare you show me attitude? It seems you haven't fully grasped your own status! Don't bother with the car. Just walk home yourself! I'm warning you, when you visit Grandma at the hospital, don't wear such a gloomy expression. I don't want to upset her!” After he finished speaking, he instructed the driver, “Drive!” Although Gavin was concerned about Raylee, he didn't dare to defy Samuel and drove off. Watching the car fade into the distance, Raylee felt no emotion. She had already tasted the bitterness of abandonment and betrayal four years ago. It wasn't that she hadn't recognized her own status; it was Samuel who had forgotten that they had forced her back to her original position, yet ironically blamed her for not recognizing her own status. Clenching her fists, she slowly rose to her feet, knowing she had to catch up quickly or risk angering the Goodridge family. And she might not be able to bear it any longer. After she walked a short distance, the car that had left suddenly returned and came to a halt before her. The window rolled down, and Samuel's eyes, filled with fury, bore into her. “Get in!”