The Second Life of a Discarded Heiress

Chapter 181

After returning from the Carmichael estate, Norton found himself lost in thought.

Three-year-old Citrine was a quiet, withdrawn child. In her tiny world, her father Sawyer was the only person she let in; she refused to let anyone else cross that line.

Sawyer, wanting Citrine to have friends her own age, had decided to adopt two children so she wouldn't have to grow up alone.

The first time Norton met Citrine at the orphanage, she was wearing a frilly princess dress, peeking out shyly from Sawyer's arms. Her big, innocent eyes were full of curiosity.

Back then, Norton was nine. He was locked in a daily struggle for survival, competing with the orphanage's dogs for food. That day, he let the dogs bite and scratch him as he wrestled a half-eaten chicken drumstick from their jaws-he was desperate, and the hunger gnawed at his insides.

When the dogs finally left, Norton carefully pulled the battered drumstick from his pocket and wiped it off on his sleeve.

Moving slowly, wincing from pain, he limped over to his little brother Clifford and held out the drumstick.

kiddo," he said

hard. "You eat,

as he ruffled Clifford's hair.

to refuse, but Norton insisted. Finally, the little boy gave in, clutching the drumstick and gnawing at it

noticed the pink-cheeked girl

cradled in the arms of an elegant man who kept planting gentle kisses on her cheek-clearly a

world apart from the harsh reality Norton and Clifford knew.

little girl tilted her

Norton felt

father, pointed at Norton, and said, "Daddy, I want that boy to

and saw Norton,

to understand the difference between his world and hers. Sawyer saw it too, and for a moment, he hesitated. Someone like Norton might be dangerous for a

"Citrine, sweetheart, this boy is much older than you. Wouldn't you rather