The Second Life of a Discarded Heiress

Chapter 11

**At The Sterling Room.**

"Mr. Carmichael, welcome!"

Manager Larkin hurried over at a brisk trot, his attitude nothing short of reverent.

His eyes immediately landed on the person standing behind Raymond. The girl was strikingly beautiful-so much so that Larkin couldn't help but steal a few extra glances before catching himself. Realizing his lapse in professionalism, he quickly lowered his gaze and pretended not to have noticed.

President Carmichael had never brought a woman here before, and with how at ease the girl seemed, Larkin couldn't help but speculate about their relationship.

Raymond, catching the direction of his thoughts, shot him a cold glance and offered a rare explanation. "She's my daughter."

Larkin nearly broke into a cold sweat as he realized his mistake. Desperate to recover, he blurted out, "Of course, I should have known. She takes after you so much, Mr. Carmichael."

Mortified by his earlier assumptions, he felt his nerves fray, completely unaware that a sheen of sweat had appeared on his brow.

Luckily, Raymond seemed disinterested in making a scene.

Citrine shot Raymond a surprised look. She hadn't expected him to acknowledge her as his daughter in front of others.

Larkin quickly turned to her and apologized, "Ms. Carmichael, I'm terribly sorry for my rudeness just now."

replied with a polite

Larkin hadn't meant

showing them to a table with the best view in the house, Larkin

see a blanket of stars-no wonder

other, both a little awkward, as if neither could quite believe they were here together. No one would have guessed that the same two who had exchanged such sharp words at their first

Raymond said naturally, sliding the menu toward

made a few selections at

done," she said, passing the menu back across the

glanced at her choices, then looked up at her. "That's all

a

vegetarian, he noted. No wonder she's

few meat dishes to the order himself before handing the menu to

Citrine sticking only to the vegetables, never touching

pork," he said, and before she could protest, he placed a

She hesitated but steeled herself to

their strict table manners, and Raymond never

near silence. Every gesture between them seemed to carry the grace and restraint of old aristocracy-elegant, dignified, almost mesmerizing to watch. With both

tranquility didn't

are you doing here?" Sawyer, accompanied by Norton, strode in, immediately

two, she suddenly felt