Goodbye Saintess (by Edelweiss W.S.) novel Chapter 168

**The Unseen Kingdom That Followed Me Into Every Dream by Alyndra Meron Valeen**

I refused to squander my breath on James’ insufferable mockery. His prejudice was as transparent as glass, and I had no intention of engaging with it. As for Rhea, I respected her right to think for herself, to form her own opinions without interference.

Yet, a gnawing sense of uncertainty twisted in my gut. I had no way to verify or refute James’ claims about her feelings. Rhea was a woman of strength and conviction; if she had grown tired of our arrangement, I would have expected her to tell me directly. She was certainly bold enough to confront me if she felt it necessary.

Lately, I had been trying to reach out to her, but my calls fell into an abyss of silence. It felt as if she had ghosted me, vanished into thin air.

Rhea was an adult, capable of making her own decisions. It was hard to believe that James had somehow severed all her means of communication. If she truly wanted to end things between us, she could have reached out.

Regardless of the circumstances, I had no inclination to feign camaraderie with this insufferable jerk in Rhea’s absence.

With a determined stride, I circled around him and stepped into the restaurant, leaving him behind without a second thought.

But James was quick to intercept me, darting in front of my path like a stubborn child.

“Didn’t you hear me?! You have no business being here, punk. I have a crucial business meeting to attend! Or are you trying to sabotage it out of spite because I exposed your little charade?” he taunted, his voice dripping with disdain.

I met his gaze with icy indifference. “You overestimate your importance to me, James. I’m here for a legitimate business deal,” I replied, my tone devoid of warmth.

He chuckled derisively. “Oh, so now you’re pretending to be a businessman full-time? What kind of deal are you making, huh? Negotiating a prime roadside plot for your lemonade stand? Let me give you a piece of advice, Grimwald. People like you—poor, broke-ass folks—should live within their means instead of masquerading as one of us. You’re a particularly poor fit for our lifestyle.”

I frowned, irritation bubbling beneath the surface. “Are you finished with your nonsense?”

“On the contrary, Grimwald! None of this is nonsense. The truth can be a bitter pill to swallow, especially for peasants like you!” James replied, laughter bubbling up in his throat.

He seemed to revel in the idea of exposing my every secret, his finger jabbing in my direction as he continued, “You mentioned someone is here to cut a deal with you, right? I can’t wait to see which fool fell for your scam. They must be utterly clueless to part with their money!”

With a mocking gesture, he pointed toward a nearby glass. “Go on, make that ‘client’ show themselves. If such a person exists, I’ll eat this glass as punishment for losing this bet. But if they don’t… Well, pardon my language, but kindly fuck off from my family and never show your face again!”

A sigh escaped my lips. This man was making a spectacle of himself, and at this rate, he was bound to shoot himself in the foot.

“Fine. I accept your bet. But remember, you set these conditions,” I replied, my voice flat and unwavering.

“Yeah, so what? Are you afraid of being humiliated, punk?” James sneered, a glint of arrogance in his eyes.

He was so convinced that I was a nobody desperate to infiltrate his family that he failed to consider the possibility that I might hold the upper hand.

The reality of the situation was about to strike him like a thunderbolt.

Just then, Jeanine appeared at the entrance of the private room, waving enthusiastically. “Over here, Boss!” she called out, her voice bright and cheerful.

James’ eyes widened in disbelief. This was one of Astergrad’s most exclusive fine dining establishments, where a single meal could cost a fortune. Only the wealthiest could afford to dine here.

And someone had just referred to me as “Boss.”

“Understood. Let’s reschedule this dinner for another time,” Evanna said, nodding in agreement. “Don’t worry, dear. I wholeheartedly believe Sebastian is an upstanding young man, far removed from any terrible playboy tendencies of my son. I’ve always had a knack for judging character, so trust me on this!”

I frowned, ready to defend myself, but James continued, “You think I don’t know who you are, don’t you? You believe I’d be intimidated just because you managed to convince Baron to speak on your behalf, and that I’d somehow agree to this marriage between you and my daughter?

“Well, over my dead body! I’ve done my homework. You saved Baron’s life once—that’s the only reason he gives a damn about you!

“According to the announcement from Baron Inc.’s PR, you’re not the business genius he claimed you to be. He was merely humoring you by giving you a role to play!”

James had been on edge since Sebastian’s visit that evening, and he felt a sense of relief when he finally learned that Sebastian was just another commoner.

A secret heir to a powerful Revarian family? What a joke!

James regretted ever relenting to Baron that night, going so far as to trick Rhea into studying abroad just to ensure she stayed out of the country in the meantime.

As for Sebastian, James simply pretended he no longer existed—until the young man had the audacity to show up in his face once more.

“This is the true story behind your pretense, isn’t it, you brat? Now that Baron no longer wants to humor you, you’ve decided to tail me in hopes of becoming someone worthy of attention. You believe that marrying my daughter will finally grant you entry into our elite world, don’t you?”

He sized me up with contempt, his gaze piercing. “I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: over my dead body! Kiss that pipe dream goodbye, punk. Rhea doesn’t care about you anymore. She wants me to tell you that it’s over now!

“So why don’t you get out of my sight and our lives forever? I have important business to attend to, and trust me, you’re not even remotely relevant enough to get in my way!”

As James ranted, I could see the panic flickering in his eyes. Had he just unwittingly relived that humiliating moment from the past… again?