Chapter 443 Resentment As if that weren't enough, Mrs. Montague often remarked, "Olivia, that girl is quite something, a talented artist. Christopher spoke to her a bit more today... Could it be he's taken a liking to her?" Olivia's painting skills were indeed outstanding among her peers, and she was the most likely candidate to becMr. Butler's student.
Thus, she shattered Mrs. Montague's prejudice about her background, and Mrs. Montague gave her blessing for her to marry into the Montague family.
Back when Raymond and Olivia first got together, Mrs. Montague had erupted in rage, accusing him of stealing his brother's wife and calling down divine retribution.
After Christopher's accident, Mrs. Montague started asking questions about Raymond's relationship with Olivia. At that time, Raymond didn't sense her concern. Instead, he felt a profound aversion. It seemed like she aimed to reserve Olivia for Christopher, anticipating Raymond, being Christopher's brother, to embrace her unquestioningly.
As a result, even now, Raymond felt a cool distance towards Mrs. Montague.
An array of exquisite dishes was arranged at the dinner table in Wolfland.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtRaymond had just stepped back in from taking a call outside, bringing with him a chill that seemed to linger in his aura.
Mrs. Montague was visibly displeased and chided, "What's with the long face? Is it so hard to share a meal?" Raymond's lashes lifted, revealing a flash of sharpness in his eyes.
Mrs. Montague was momentarily silenced, but her irritation quickly turned to downright anger. "Raymond, you're part of this family now. Ditch the high-and-mighty attitude you carry at the company. Your grandfather saw promise in you and handed you the reins. But don't forget those were meant for your brother before his... mishap." Before Mrs. Montague could say anything more upsetting, Catherine intervened, "Mom, Raymond has been working hard these years. The Wall Street journalists are always after him, and so are the people in Silicon Valley..." "All that flattery is worthless. He should take a leaf out of Christopher's book." Raymond set down his glass with a nonchalant tone. "If I were to follow his footsteps, I guess I'd be six years old by now." The women turned pale at his words.
Raymond got up gracefully and grabbed his coat. "Mom, Grandmother, enjoy your dinner." His meaning was clear: Christopher Montague was long gone.
Both women trembled with fury, especially Mrs. Montague, who hurled insults about him being an unworthy descendant.
Catherine just sat there, drained, and tugged at her. "Mom, stop. Raymond's distance is exactly because of these things you keep saying." "Am I wrong? He's never been able to measure up to Christopher!" Raymond stepped out of Wolfland into the cool night air, bowing his head as he lit a cigarette.
Truth be told, his relationship with Christopher was surprisingly good.
Unlike his conniving cousins, his bond with Christopher was genuine.
Everyone thought that two alphas couldn't share the sturf, expecting a deadly power struggle between him and Christopher. But Christopher actually cared about him-a lot.
Yet, out of pride, Raymond never shared this with anyone.
The only thing he could do for Christopher now was to uncover the real reason behind his untimely death. Mrs. Montague and Catherine clearly favored Christopher, but Mr. Montague Sr. had always admired Raymond's wild streak.
"The kid's got the sfire as me, always striving for excellence.
"If it weren't for Christopher being the eldest, I'd hand the reins to Raymond in a heartbeat. The cutthroat world of business needs that wild spirit. Christopher's too mild, better off in research." Raymond got into his car, casually resting his fingertips on the open window.
A cigarette hung loosely from his long fingers, but he only took one drag before letting it slowly burn out.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmHe wasn't addicted to smoking. It was simply his go-to when his emotions were on a roller coaster.
By the tthe cigarette burned down to his fingers, he flicked the trogo butt into a nearby trash can, leaving a small but noticeable blister on his fingertip. For sreason, he didn't drive back to the hotel but instead headed onto the freeway.
He arrived in Ridgefield at 3:00 a.m.
After standing outside Harmony Garden with another cigarette, he finally called Selena. "Where are you?" Selena, groggy from sleep, took a moment to grasp the situation. "Raymond?" "Mm." Cool yet soft, Raymond's voice replied, "I'm in Ridgefield."
Selena snapped to alertness.
"Raymond, I'm at Harmony Garden. Is something wrong?" "I'm outside Harmony Garden." Selena wore her shoes, hurried to the grand entrance, and spotted Raymond's car.
She was not accustomed to seeing him there without his usual entourage of attention.