Divorce Anxiety

Chapter 497

Chapter 497 You Have Two Choices

Samuel cleared his throat. “Yeah.”

“I’ll be off then. See you later,” Kathleen said as she pecked Samuel’s cheek and left alongside Charles.

Samuel’s black eyes shone with tenderness as he touched his cheek.

Selfishly, he hoped no one would notice how great of a person Kathleen was.

“Tyson,” Samuel muttered, his tone drastically different.

Tyson walked over. “Yes, Mr. Macari.”

“Is the car ready?” Samuel asked in a frigid voice.

“Everything is ready,” Tyson replied.

Samuel nodded. “Let’s go.”

“Yes, sir.”

Meanwhile, Kathleen had followed Charles’ car and arrived at Raymond’s house.

The banquet that night was attended by a sizable crowd.

Raymond anticipated Charles’ arrival. He did not, however, anticipate Kathleen to join him.

Furthermore, he had no idea when Kathleen had returned.

Indeed, while traveling back, Kathleen had concealed her whereabouts. She kept it a secret from everyone.

As a result, Raymond had not heard anything about her return.

Raymond was certain, though, that the siblings were unaware of his intentions that evening based on how they entered the banquet. As a result, a satisfied smirk flashed on his face.

“Godfather,” Charles greeted impassively.

Raymond nodded. “You’ve arrived.”

“Long time no see, Mr. Watson,” Kathleen greeted flatly.

Raymond smiled. “Ms. Johnson. I wasn’t expecting you.”

Kathleen only smiled faintly in return.

“It’s good, though,” Raymond added, a sly grin on his face. “I have an important announcement to make tonight. It’ll be even more lively now that you’re both here.”

“I wonder what the good news is?” Kathleen asked.

Raymond cracked a half-smile. “I wouldn’t want to spoil the surprise for you. You’ll know eventually.”

He cast a quick glance at the visitors. “I should head over and say a few words as it’s almost time and the guests are almost all here.”

“Go ahead,” Kathleen replied indifferently.

With that, Raymond turned on his heel and headed for the stage.

Kathleen glanced around before whispering, “Where’s Clarissa, Charles?”

“She returned with me, but I’m not sure what happened to her after that,” Charles replied nonchalantly.

Kathleen did nothing but give Charles a thoughtful look.

He still did not seem to be feeling anything for Clarissa.

Relationships, though, were in fact, complicated.

“It’s odd. I haven’t seen Wilbur either,” Kathleen remarked, her brows knitted together.

In a low voice, Charles replied, “Maybe Wilbur isn’t even here.”

“Don’t tell me he went to deal with Axeworth Corporation on Raymond’s behalf?” Kathleen inquired, her temples throbbing.

“It’s possible,” Charles muttered.

Kathleen lowered her gaze. She could not help but feel slightly worried for Samuel.

“Are you really treating Samuel as a hothouse flower?” Charles asked in an attempt to console Kathleen.

Kathleen was taken aback by his words.

“He’s Samuel Macari, for crying out loud,” Charles continued. “Even if he’s lost his memories, he’s not an easy opponent.”

Kathleen nodded.

Raymond’s voice came through before Kathleen could even utter a reply. “Truth to be told, I’ve invited everyone tonight to attend my daughter Clarissa’s engagement ceremony.”

Everyone, including Kathleen and Charles, was stunned.

Who is Clarissa getting engaged to?

“And the person who’s going to be engaged to my daughter is no one other than Charles Johnson,” Raymond announced as he looked at Charles.

Charles furrowed his brows. What the hell does Raymond mean by this?

Kathleen, too, had her brows furrowed into a severe frown.

“I believe everyone’s aware that Charles is my godson. I have been treating him like my own. Thus, I wish to marry my beloved daughter to him. I hope everyone can give them your blessings.” Then Raymond began to applaud, and the crowd soon joined in.

Charles’ expression was grim.

“Charles, this appears to be something Raymond had in mind from the start. You might humiliate Clarissa if you leave,” Kathleen stated flatly. “I reckon he knows that we’re helping Clarissa.”

However, Charles had no plans of getting engaged to Clarissa.

He was not romantically interested in Clarissa.

He had only ever regarded her as his little sister for as long as he could remember.

Thus, this arrangement was rather absurd to him.

Kathleen’s eyes were cold as she locked her gaze on Raymond. “Now that the groom-to-be is here, I’m curious where the bride-to-be is.”

Raymond narrowed his eyes. “Clarissa is feeling under the weather.”

“Why didn’t you postpone the engagement banquet if she was sick? Is it even appropriate to refer to it as an engagement banquet without the bride-to-be?” Kathleen inquired matter-of-factly. “Moreover, you did not inform anyone that tonight was the engagement banquet for Charles and Clarissa.”

Raymond merely stared at her in silence. Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

He genuinely did not expect Kathleen to show up at the banquet.

“I’m sure you’re familiar with my line of occupation, Mr. Watson. Why don’t you let me take a look at Clarissa? She might feel better after my consultation. What do you think?” Kathleen asked, staring intently at Raymond.

Raymond frowned at that.

Discreetly, Kathleen tugged at Charles’ sleeves.

Charles picked up on her signal right away. Coldly, he declared, “I won’t agree to this engagement if Clarissa isn’t present.”

“I assume you’re implying that you’ll marry Clarissa as long as she’s present?” Raymond retorted.

With a calm expression on his face, Charles replied, “Yes.”

Raymond smirked as he ordered, “Bring Clarissa here.”

Right as his words were out of his mouth, one of the help came pushing Clarissa, who was seated in a wheelchair.

Her eyes were dull and soulless— an obvious sign that something was wrong.

Kathleen approached Clarissa in an instant. Raymond, however, intervened and stopped her. “What do you think you’re doing?”

“I’m just trying to care for my future sister-in-law. Am I not allowed to do so?” Kathleen asked icily.

“Precisely. You are not allowed to do so,” Raymond replied, his tone radiating the same coldness.

Charles stepped up. “I’m sure I have the right to do so as Clarissa is my fiancée.”

With that, he pushed Raymond away and walked up to Clarissa.

“Clarissa?” Charles mumbled as he caressed the said woman’s cheek.

However, there was no reaction from Clarissa.

Charles turned around to look at Kathleen.

Kathleen pushed Raymond away and immediately went to Clarissa.

She frowned upon checking Clarissa’s pulse.

“How is she?” Charles asked worriedly.

Kathleen took a deep breath as she placed her hand on Clarissa’s head and felt around the area.

As she had expected, she managed to pull out a silver needle from the crown of Clarissa’s head.

Raymond’s expression darkened. Damn it. Kathleen found out.

Suddenly, Clarissa spat a mouthful of black blood.

“Clarissa!” Charles cried out as he held onto her. “Are you okay?”

Clarissa first looked at Charles, then at Raymond. Her face took on a pained expression.

“Her body is extremely frail now, Charles. We have to get her to a hospital as soon as possible,” Kathleen urged, her eyebrows pinched in a frown.

Charles frowned. Instantly, he carried Clarissa from the wheelchair, bridal-style, and prepared to leave.

However, Raymond had ordered his men to stop them.

“What are you trying to do?” Charles demanded, his gaze steely.

Raymond grinned. “The engagement ceremony is not finished yet. Where do you think you’re going?”

“Don’t you see the state your daughter is in right now, Raymond?” Kathleen exclaimed exasperatedly. “Her life will be at risk if we don’t act quickly.”

Raymond merely scoffed at that. “Don’t think I’m unaware of your goal, Charles. It’s your fault that she’s in this state. You have to get engaged to her to save her. If not, you have no right to take her away!”

“Was this your goal all along?” Charles asked, his expression icy.

Raymond wanted to induct him into Blissful Sect.

“Yes,” Raymond answered. He was not planning to hide his intentions anymore. “You have two choices. Either watch Clarissa die before your eyes, or get engaged to her and become one of Blissful Sect.”