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."

is a medical

every word hitting its mark. Throughout the exchange, she remained calm and even, but Valerie's face was a shifting palette of shock and rage; her

Valerie dropped

you pretending for? Climbing into Mr. Carmichael's

sly, seductive face-God knows how many men

parents must be real pieces of

slap landed across Valerie's cheek, stinging red-

brat-how was she

hit her. With that innocent face, Citrine always

felt a surge of satisfaction. Curling her lips in a warning, she said, "Keep mouthing

her own hands, it wasn't really a problem at

had no intention of repeating that mistake. If someone tried to make her miserable, she'd give it right

clutching her throbbing cheek, was about to start hurling

down on the floor, and let the

hit me? I only asked you to move out because I was worried you'd distract Mr. Carmichael. Even if you didn't like it, you can't just attack

lovely even when she cried, the