The Second Life of a Discarded Heiress

Chapter 82

She ran out to the balcony and looked down, but by then, the man was already gone.

Well, I guess I'll just have to return it to him next time, she thought.

Not the worst thing, really—a good excuse to keep in touch.

That night, after running Sebastian's clothes through the wash, Citrine quietly hung them up to dry on the balcony outside her own bedroom.

Only then did she finally feel at ease and drift off to sleep.

She slept soundly, but while her night was peaceful, things were far from calm over at Siren's Whisper.

The two thugs who'd gotten into a brawl with her at the karaoke bar-along with their boss—had been ambushed, thrown into the back of a van, and dragged off to an abandoned factory by a rival group. By the time they staggered back, they were barely alive.

This whole thing had been set in motion by the manager after consulting with Raymond. Citrine knew nothing about it.

The next morning, Citrine had barely reached the classroom door when Jeanette and Clifford blocked her path.

"Citrine, can you come outside with us for a moment?" Jeanette glanced

over her shoulder at the people in the

news first

even hesitate. "Nope, I need

them a single glance, just brushed past and headed straight into her

full of herself," Clifford muttered, fuming. He started

clearly doesn't want to see us," Jeanette hissed, grabbing his arm to pull him back before he could make things worse. She was all too aware that angering

finally have some peace—at least for

she

Citrine's desk. Most of the students hadn't returned yet, so the classroom was almost empty. Jeanette slid into

Jeanette had dropped her usual fragile act. Her voice was

Citrine thought, studying her with a newfound

you want to talk

about the Iverson family shares." Jeanette's gaze was steady,

family shares?" Citrine's brow

when I turn eighteen." Her tone was proud, almost triumphant, as if she

Sawyer who'd

startled. She had never known about this. Somewhere along the line, Sawyer had started keeping her