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 servile

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

later, Adler called

went to Crestwood. Beyond that,

his expression

Adler couldn't dig up anything, someone must have gone out of their way to cover Citrine's

she found Raymond stretched out

his eyes were shut, his face

unflappable man now looked oddly fragile in his illness. "Raymond?" Citrine poked him, calling his name softly, but

the back of her hand

"Damn, he's burning up."

he been like this

week, so

When she saw the thermometer nearly hit 104, she quickly

and tucked it snugly around him on the couch, then dampened a towel and placed it gently on his

headed to the

had never given her an allowance. Whenever Sawyer was away,

not to cook for her,

Citrine learned to fend for herself in the kitchen, and her

the medicine, was barely conscious. Citrine managed

Citrine simply grabbed a blanket and camped out on the

The fog in his