The Second Life of a Discarded Heiress

Chapter 230

Citrine was penniless and on the verge of starving to death.

By dawn the next day, her hunger was so overwhelming her stomach felt hollow, and she simply couldn't bear it any longer. Waiting until the bakery owner was busy with other customers, she slipped a warm roll from the steaming tray when no one was looking.

She acted quickly, but not quickly enough. The heavyset baker spotted her in an instant.

With a furious shout, he snatched up his rolling pin and lumbered after her. Citrine was so weak from hunger, she barely made it a few yards before he caught her by the collar.

The baker's face was red with rage as he shook her roughly. "You little thief! Stealing from me, huh? I ought to teach you a lesson."

"Filthy beggar, you think you can steal my bread and get away with it? I'll make you regret it!"

His fists were as hard as iron, slamming down on her again and again. He didn't hold back. In no time, Citrine's face was battered and bruised. She collapsed on the ground, blood pooling beneath her, but even then, she clung to the roll she'd taken, refusing to let go.

sat calmly in his wheelchair at the end of the alley, nodding to the bodyguard at his side. In a flash,

bodyguard said, pulling a few crisp bills from his pocket and handing them to the

seeing how much he was offered, finally relented and stormed back inside, grumbling under

now, Citrine

eyeing the dirty, battered girl with a

"Little stray, how long have

up at him, wanting to speak, but as soon

over his medical team, who rushed to her side to begin

panic. She tensed like a

pushed herself backward with trembling hands, inching away from the strangers. Then, with

in front of everyone, she crammed it desperately into her mouth, chewing rapidly in hopes of filling the aching emptiness inside her. But her throat refused to cooperate. After just a couple of bites, she began to cough up mouthfuls of

spitting it all back out. No matter what she did, she couldn't swallow a

felt a strange pang in his chest. For the first time in his life, he tried to soften his tone. "Hey, kid. No