The Second Life of a Discarded Heiress

Chapter 19

Raymond sat alone in the empty living room, his mind wandering. He suddenly remembered that, back at the office, the kid had always been on her own.

She must have felt scared, right?

For a moment, he'd actually wanted to press her, to demand exactly where she'd gone. But he forced himself to let it go.

After all, to her, they were little more than strangers bound by paperwork. If he started interrogating her now, she'd probably end up resenting him.

Still, Raymond couldn't help but worry. He dialed Adler's number.

At that very moment, Adler was tangled up with his girlfriend, their goodbyes dragging out with reluctant kisses. Just as things got heated, his phone buzzed on the nightstand, making both of them jump.

The interruption instantly killed the mood. Adler's girlfriend groaned, "Who the hell is it?"

Adler glanced at the screen, jaw clenched. "Damn corporate overlord," he muttered under his breath, the light in his eyes flickering out.

He groaned, half to himself, "I swear I'm quitting tomorrow. I'm done with this."

But as he grumbled, his body betrayed him he was already pulling his shirt back

on.

A few seconds later, he answered the call, suddenly all meek politeness. "Hello, Mr. Carmichael."

voice dripped with

out where Citrine went today," Raymond said curtly, then hung up without waiting for

hour later, Adler

Miss Citrine went to Crestwood. Beyond that, I couldn't find

his expression growing

have gone out of

next afternoon, when Citrine came home, she

walked over and realized his eyes were

usually commanding, unflappable man now looked oddly fragile in his illness. "Raymond?" Citrine poked him, calling his name softly, but he didn't

of her hand to

"Damn, he's burning up."

been like

this week,

thermometer nearly hit 104, she

around him on the couch, then dampened a towel and

all that, she headed to the kitchen to make some

given her an allowance. Whenever Sawyer was away, it was normal for Citrine

not to cook for her, and no one

learned to fend for herself in the kitchen, and her cooking turned out surprisingly

the medicine, was barely conscious. Citrine managed to coax only half a bowl of

keep an eye on him, Citrine simply grabbed a blanket and camped

in the morning, Raymond's fever had finally broken. The fog in his head