The Second Life of a Discarded Heiress

Chapter 22

"You probably don't get it, kid," Valerie said, barely keeping her anger in check as she cursed Citrine out a hundred different ways in her head. "I was handpicked by Mr. Carmichael himself. I'm not like everyone else here."

Citrine muttered under her breath, "Well, his judgment must be slipping, hiring someone like you."

"What did you just say?" Valerie's eyes narrowed; she was sure Citrine was talking smack.

"Nothing," Citrine replied, stifling a laugh. "So, what exactly makes you so special?"

Honestly, Citrine thought, bosses hiring staff was the most ordinary thing in the world. Who knew someone could spin that into a whole fantasy about marrying into wealth and power?

Before Valerie could answer, Citrine cut her off, "Don't tell me you actually think Raymond Carmichael would marry you and make you the lady of the house?"

Valerie's face flushed crimson. That thought had crossed her mind more than once, but having this brat voice it so bluntly left her feeling more than a little embarrassed.

"I" she started, trying to recover her composure.

But Citrine didn't let her finish. "You're delusional. Might want to get that checked out."

fantasy is a medical condition. You

office, every word hitting its mark. Throughout the exchange, she remained calm and even, but Valerie's face was a

Valerie dropped the act

for? Climbing into Mr. Carmichael's bed at your age-you must be

sly, seductive face-God knows how many

real pieces of work,

sharp slap landed across Valerie's cheek, stinging red-

was she

actually hit her. With that innocent face, Citrine always

a surge of satisfaction. Curling her lips in a warning, she

with her own hands, it wasn't really

one life bottling things up-she had no intention of repeating that

start hurling

anything, Valerie wiped her face, flopped down on the floor, and let the tears

worried you'd distract Mr. Carmichael. Even if you didn't like

she cried, the kind