My older sister is a villainous rich girl

Self-justification always seems fragile and powerless, and Wayne doesn't know what she should do to make her believe it.

Yes, everyone wants to be liked by others, and you are no exception.

But the joy that wells up from the bottom of my heart every time I hug her; the image of her that always flashes through my mind before my desires start to run wild... are these things that anyone can do casually?

If that's the case, then perhaps I wouldn't need to worry about it.

He closed his eyes and pressed his forehead against Ge Li's forehead.

A thin layer of skull separates the two distinct souls. Though they are so close, they can only touch skin and cannot comprehend each other's thoughts.

“I love you,” he said.

"It didn't start from the first time we met. It didn't even start from the day you suddenly came to the piano room to find me, but... it gradually deepened little by little."

He used to believe that love at first sight was the only true love, and that if he didn't feel anything for someone the first time he met them, he would never like them.

But Ge Li's very existence showed him that those stereotypes were all his misunderstandings.

For people who are truly attracted to each other, even if they don't feel romantic feelings at the beginning, they will grow to like each other more and more as they get to know each other better.

Then gradually, her presence became everywhere in my life.

Goethe sniffed awkwardly and said, "If it weren't for Chris, maybe I could barely believe what you're saying, but don't you find it ridiculous now?"

"..." Wayne was silent for a moment.

"It's hard for me to describe what she means to me," he said hoarsely.

Perhaps it was that feeling of mutual reliance that made him obsessed?

The thought that Chris might be the only true family member in the world, and the assumption that someone else might take her place in the future, is unbearable.

It's no exaggeration to say that he found his "self" in Chris.

Moreover, she actually fits the image of the ideal girlfriend that Wayne had been hoping for. With her by his side all along, the strange world where he had no relatives or friends was not so lonely.

Generally speaking, if one is only pursuing money or power, the appearance of another 'protagonist' who might diminish one's presence would only be a threat.

But Chris was different.

She didn't have many desires; it wasn't that she couldn't play mind games, but rather that she was too lazy to use them. In a sense, every day she spent in this world was exactly the life Wayne had hoped for.

So, being by her side became joyful and relaxing.

—On the premise that she does not doubt whether her feelings for him are genuine.

Both girls are equally difficult to deal with once they start getting hung up on something.

"If we must distinguish where love begins, whose feelings are completely free of any ulterior motives from beginning to end?"

He opened his eyes and stared intently at Ge Li.

"Do you dare to tell me without hesitation that you approached me without the slightest intention of taking revenge on Chris?"

This sentence is as cold as a knife.

Staring blankly at his expressionless face, Ge Li's thin lips trembled slightly.

She desperately wanted to deny this hurtful accusation with all her might.

But she couldn't bring herself to say it.

Wayne was not surprised by her reaction.

"The so-called pure and innocent love is something that only exists in fairy tales."

He had always hoped for this, but had never truly believed it.

“I can stand by your side on many things, but… the Wincher family is not only Chris’s family, but also my family.”

“I will not ask you to sacrifice the Edgeworth family’s interests for my sake, so I hope you will not do so either. On the chessboard, everyone should compete fairly based on their own abilities.”

This may sound cold and heartless, but it is a reality that Ge Li will have to recognize sooner or later.

Geli stopped looking at him and stopped speaking.

The argument between the two finally subsided.

After a long while, Ge Li said calmly, "Perhaps I've always taken your so-called 'like' too seriously, which is why I've developed those unrealistic fantasies."

Thinking about it carefully, if the person in front of him were not Wayne, but another scion of a powerful and influential family, the outcome would most likely still be the same.

So... what am I still hoping for?

"That's enough." Ge Li took a deep breath.

"I'm done arguing, you can leave now."

Wayne stared at her speechlessly.

So, he sneaked into her house just to attend a fight?

"I'm not leaving." He uncooperatively reached out and pulled the blanket that had been gathered to one side over both of them, then lay down on his back next to her.

Wayne was determined to renege on his promise, and Ge Li couldn't really get rid of him in the short term.

"Are you that free? Can't Chris satisfy you?" Her temper flared, and she began to speak recklessly.

"Don't ask me how I get along with her; it will at least make you feel better."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Ge Li pounced on him like a madman, scratching and biting him.

"Hey! Don't bite there! Are you crazy?!"

Wayne held her tightly, wrapping their bodies together with the blanket.

The noise in the room gradually faded away, and the night began to feel long again.

……

The next day, Wayne practically dragged himself out of bed despite his aching back and waist.

—Please don't get any strange misunderstandings. It's just that Ge Li bit my shoulder and back several times.

"Hiss... That's a bit too ruthless."

Wayne stared at himself in the bathroom mirror for a long time in a very awkward posture.

The heavy dark circles around his eyes undoubtedly showed how hard he had struggled last night.

After putting his clothes back on, Wayne scooped up a handful of clean, cold water and wiped his face, forcing himself to stay alert for the next few classes.

There's no way around it; good students can't just lie on their desks and sleep soundly during class.

However, just as he was about to leave, he suddenly heard footsteps approaching from outside the restroom. Without thinking too much, Wayne immediately slipped into the nearest individual stall.

To avoid being seen by others about the ambiguous marks on his body, he specifically took the time to hide on the top floor of another club building. And because it was still during class time, almost all the activity rooms he passed along the way were locked.

Logically speaking, no one should suddenly barge in at this time...

He subdued himself with a hint of doubt.

Chapter 572 Hidden Crisis

Almost as soon as Wayne was ready, the people outside walked in, chatting as they went.

The two seemed to be looking for a quiet place to talk, completely unaware that there were other people in the cubicle, and their words were quite unrestrained.

"So, have you received the invitation yet?"

"We did get it, but..." the other person stammered, "Aren't we sure we won't get caught doing this?"

"Why do you care so much? Don't worry, nothing will happen!" The person who spoke earlier didn't seem to care. "It's good that you've qualified. Keep this safe. Just mix it into the water tank, and someone will meet you when you get to the horse farm."

"Someone is helping him? Is it an insider? Then why doesn't he do it himself?" The voice asked several times, seemingly reluctant.

"Ha! With so many people watching all the time, how could he possibly have a chance to make a move? At most, he could distract others and create an opening for you..."

After receiving a satisfactory reply, the man, whose tone became even more forceful, immediately became impatient: "Hey, stop talking nonsense. Do you still want that payment or not? If you don't, just say so now. I'll expedite finding someone else to do it! Don't keep hesitating like this. Don't end up saying I didn't take care of you, brother."

Upon hearing that the candidate might be changed, the boy, who had initially hesitated, immediately replied hastily, "Yes, yes! I... I just want to ask a little more."

"Then do as instructed! As long as you don't do anything extra stupid, you'll be fine!"

The two exchanged only a few words, followed by a series of soft rustling sounds, as if one person had slipped something into the other's hand.

"Once you're done, just throw the bottle into any trash can around the audience area when no one's looking. There are so many guests here, no one will care about you."

After saying this, the two left the restroom one after the other without saying anything more.

After a while, Wayne finally came out of the cubicle.

"Horse farm?"

He repeated the keyword in a low voice.

……

"Wayne!"

Back at the classroom door, Richard, who was waiting there, greeted him with a bright smile.

"I was just about to come find you! There's a horse race next week, here's an invitation, bring Chris along for the fun."

Two exquisitely crafted letters were handed to Wayne.

Wayne was slightly surprised and reached out to take it. "Why is it Richard who sent the invitation?"

Although horse racing was a popular form of entertainment among the nobility of the capital, Richard himself could say that he never spearheaded or organized any such gambling-related activities.

Starting with breeding promising horses, owners can register them for professional races, with top winners receiving substantial rewards. Simultaneously, the race organizers will sell tickets to the stands and facilitate betting.

When the horses on the racetrack decide their winners and losers, the winners and losers in the casino are also determined.

Some people become rich, while others lose everything.

Although the kingdom does not openly encourage it, many people still actively participate; just as the kingdom does not outwardly support comparison, but the atmosphere in the aristocratic circles is still extremely extravagant.

"Because I trained a horse and also signed it up for a competition."

“This is a large-scale charity competition, and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to several welfare homes in the capital to improve the conditions for orphans who have lost the protection of their families,” he explained. “My father will also participate in order to encourage everyone to pay more attention to the poor people who are in dire need of help.”

Wayne nodded knowingly.

This is just a pretext for seeking fame and fortune; at least it sounds better when people talk about it.

—See, everyone? We're not gambling, we're doing charity work!

Wayne was already used to these shady dealings. Fortunately, the occasional donations they made at least genuinely helped a small segment of the population.

“Okay, I’ll go with Chris.”

Richard asked him casually, "Didn't I give you a horse before? Its stamina and explosive power are excellent. Why don't you consider letting it try out? If you'd like to come too, I can help you register."

"You mean Little Black? Hahaha, never mind, maybe next time."

Thinking about it, Wayne touched his chin a little awkwardly.

I only ride it occasionally, but in Wayne's hands it's like it's living a retired life ahead of time.

Richard didn't press the issue.

“There will be a lot of people there, so I probably won’t have much time to entertain you. But Lawrence will be there too, so you can ask him if you have any questions.” It has to be said that Richard had considered things far too thoroughly in many ways.

"Okay~ It's alright, I'm not a child." Wayne waved the invitation in his hand. "See you later."

After saying goodbye to Richard, Wayne delivered the invitation to Chris.

Richard seemed perfectly normal lately, still living the life of the center of attention. If Wayne hadn't learned of many royal secrets through other means, she would never have realized the prince's dire situation.

But now that I think about it, Richard's situation is indeed quite dire, with his father having a falling out with him, his mother having no support, and his brothers harboring hostility...

Well, let's just pray that Richard can weather the upcoming crisis smoothly.

……

Marseille?

Chris wasn't particularly interested in such things, but when she casually mentioned it at the dinner table at home, Duke Elliott's attention was piqued.

“I was invited in advance, but I didn’t tell you since you don’t usually watch horse racing. I was originally planning to just show up by myself.” He forked a small piece of cut beef from the bowl in front of him and put it in his mouth.

"But since you two promised Prince Richard, there's no harm in going to take a look."

He was unaware that Chris had already been secretly taken to the horse farm by Wayne once.