Chapter 7 An Unexpected Encounter At The Bar

Raylee stood in front of a shop, her slender silhouette reflected in the glossy glass door. The vibrant and vivacious Raylee of the past, brimming with youthful beauty, had disappeared. Now, all that was left was a shell of a person in extremely poor health, barely clinging to life in this world. She lacked dignity, suffered from poor health, and her reputation was tarnished, but she refused to give up on herself. Summoning all her courage, Raylee continued her search for a job. Eventually, she spotted a bar that was hiring servers. The pay wasn't much, but it included meals and accommodation. The bar was dimly lit, so the manager couldn't see her frail complexion. Given the urgent need for staff, he immediately hired her. Raylee cherished the hard-earned opportunity, promptly donning her uniform and getting to work. In a corner of the bar, after having a blast, Waverly and her best friend, Mindy Woollen, were preparing to leave when Mindy's sharp gaze fell on Raylee, who was tidying up the bar. “Wavy, doesn't that server look a bit like Raylee?” “Raylee? A server?” Waverly couldn't believe it. “No way, she just got out of prison today. How could she be working already?” She looked over and furrowed her brows. “It really is her! Impressive, working as a server right after getting out of prison. She couldn't wait to start fending for herself!” “Shall we go say hi?” Mindy asked, her smile hinting at mockery. “Wait!” Waverly narrowed her eyes, a deeper meaning in her gaze. Finally, she leaned in and whispered something into Mindy's ear. Raylee was deeply engrossed in her work when suddenly, the manager approached her and said, “A guest in Room 808 has knocked over a bottle of wine. I need you to clean it up immediately.” Without giving it much thought, Raylee headed to the private room. Upon entering, she saw Mindy alone. She recognized her as Waverly's best friend. Four years ago, when Waverly was caught stealing a necklace, it was Mindy who claimed to have witnessed the theft, sealing Raylee's fate with her testimony. Sparks fly when enemies cross paths. Seeing the person who had set her up, Raylee was filled with rage. But for the sake of her job, she swallowed her anger and began cleaning. Mindy deliberately knocked over a glass of wine and blamed her for it. “What's the deal with you? Can't you do anything right? Do you want me to file a complaint against you?” Raylee tightened her grip on the towel upon hearing the complaint. Just then, the bathroom door swung open, and Waverly stepped out. She walked over to Raylee in surprise and exclaimed, “Raylee, how did you end up working as a server? Oh my goodness, if Samuel and Mom found out, they'd be heartbroken!” “This clumsy server is your sister? Wavy, are you sure you haven't mistaken her for someone else?” Mindy asked, feigning surprise. There wasn't a trace of emotion on Raylee's face as she watched them put on a show. “I just want to do my job well. Please don't make things difficult for me.” “Raylee, why are you working in a chaotic place like this bar? Our family can support you. If you need money, just ask!” Waverly said, taking the dirty towel from her hands with a concerned expression. Yet, Raylee refused to let go. She wasn't sure if her encounter with Waverly and Mindy that night was a coincidence or something else, but she had no desire to get tangled up in any disputes with them. All she wanted was to earn some money honestly. Without uttering a word, she continued to clean the table. “Raylee, let me help you!” Waverly said, tidying up for her. Engrossed in her task, she accidentally cut her hand on a fragment of a broken wine bottle, causing her finger to bleed. She let out a sharp cry of pain. Seeing her bleeding finger, Raylee couldn't contain her anger any longer. “What are you doing?” Tears instantly fell from Waverly's eyes like pearls slipping off a broken string. “Raylee, seeing you work while injured really upsets me. I just want to help you,” she cried, barely able to catch her breath. Off to the side, Mindy discreetly started recording with her phone. “I don't need your help. Stop getting in my way!” Raylee snapped. “Raylee, do you hate me?” Waverly asked, wiping her tears, her voice choked with sobs. “Back then, I was naive. I saw that necklace and wanted it so badly that my greed got the better of me. It was my actions that led to your imprisonment and caused you so much suffering. It's only fair for you to resent me. Go ahead, hit me, scold me. Maybe then I'll feel a bit better!” “Hit you, scold you?” Raylee scoffed, glaring at Waverly. “I returned from the brink of death, not to alleviate your guilt or ease your conscience!” At that moment, she was not only tormented emotionally but also physically. Her disabled legs throbbed with constant pain, but she had no choice but to endure it stoically. The dim light in the private room enveloped her, casting a hollow, sorrowful glow. She looked like a soulless puppet. Waverly looked at her lifeless visage, a flicker of fear stirring within her. Despite her clear inability to cause harm, she exuded an aura of silent power. Raylee glanced out the window, the breeze tousling her bangs. She continued, “You are the true daughter of the Goodridge family. Back then, my birth mother was just a housekeeper, but she maliciously swapped the two of us. You've endured so much pain and helplessness in that family. They even forbade you from studying and wanted to marry you off to a forty-year-old man for a dowry. I genuinely felt for you from the bottom of my heart. So, when you returned to the Goodridge family, I was ready to give you everything. I was willing to live in harmony with you. I could have even left the Goodridge family if needed! I truly wanted to cherish you as if you were my own little sister, to give you not just the love of parents, but also the love of a brother and a sister! Even when Mom asked me to break off the engagement, it was incredibly difficult for me. Despite my feelings, I let go and kept my distance from Casimir. I was genuinely sincere toward you, but what about you? How did you treat me?” Waverly was already sobbing uncontrollably, her hand covering her mouth, looking as if she had been wronged and was bearing the weight of a great injustice. Raylee frowned and sarcastically remarked, “Can you please stop crying? You're making it seem like I've been bullying you! Do you realize that when you first returned to the Goodridge family, you'd cry at the drop of a hat without explaining why? Samuel misunderstood so many times, thinking I was the one bullying you.” Waverly remained silent, still crying incessantly. Raylee felt overwhelmed by a profound sense of helplessness as if she were performing a monologue. Her words had reduced Waverly to tears, and if Samuel were to witness this scene, he would undoubtedly berate her without understanding the full situation. “Raylee, you're a good sister. It was my fault and I'm sorry. I was immature back then; I didn't mean to get you imprisoned...” Tears streamed down Waverly's face as she gave a deep bow. “Oh? Were you just immature, or did you deliberately set me up?” Raylee's expression hardened, her gaze filled with undeniable seriousness.