The Second Life of a Discarded Heiress

Chapter 15

They'd known each other forever-Alicia was that childhood friend she and Jeanette had grown up with.

Truth was, Alicia and she had been at odds since they were kids.

If anything, things were even worse now.

Watching Alicia stalk toward her, cheeks flushed with anger, Citrine couldn't help but let out a laugh.

"What's so funny?" Alicia demanded, her voice tight, as if she'd just landed a punch on a pillow.

Citrine watched Alicia struggling to keep her temper in check and thought, not without a trace of contempt, Still as clueless as ever. What a waste of energy- getting riled up over nothing.

She didn't bother to sugarcoat her words. "You've been runner-up for as long as anyone can remember, and yet you still have time to meddle in our business."

"If you really have that much free time, maybe you should hit the books and finally shake off your second-place streak."

Alicia's jaw clenched. Being called "runner-up" was the one thing she couldn't stand; it made her blood boil.

But as she remembered the rumors swirling around the school forums, her expression softened, if only a little.

you've already been kicked out

from Primus Academy, too.

the words through gritted teeth, already

Iverson name, let's see how arrogant you can

her piece, Alicia finally felt a

however, just kept on

And as for being expelled? That's never

Iverson family

she'd done everything to protect the Iversons, never once thinking about herself, giving up so much along the

recognition—those things had never mattered. The only thing she'd ever longed for was the faintest trace of familial affection, so slight it barely

cared about or not, Jeanette only had to frown and it would

Why?

Citrine wanted everything-glory, success,

the windows, but in the Carmichael Group's executive office, the

in a rage, hurling everything on his desk to the floor. Documents scattered everywhere as he glowered, his eyes as cold

dare the

had always thought of himself as ruthless, but compared to Sawyer, he was nothing. That monster had sent

always assumed the Iversons had simply sent her overseas. If he hadn't noticed the child's strange mood at that dinner,