The Second Life of a Discarded Heiress

Chapter 260

But now, every word Clifford had once thrown at Citrine echoed in his mind with painful clarity.

He remembered snarling at her, "Citrine, why do you have to lie all the time? That was a gift from Jeanette, not you. If you keep insisting, I swear I'll hit you."

He remembered another time, his voice sharp, "Citrine, if it weren't for Jeanette,

I'd be done for. If you try to take credit for what she did again, I'll beat you senseless."

Clifford remembered how angry he'd been, how he'd lashed out and kicked the little girl hard in the stomach.

Her face had gone pale with pain, but he'd just sneered and accused her of faking

it.

been so cruel

wanted nothing to do with him.

hand and slapped Jeanette hard across the

spat, "You're vile. If it weren't for you, Citrine wouldn't have been blamed and she

didn't trust her-it was your family. You all accused her, and you even hit her yourself. What,

her voice almost mocking. "But if blaming me makes you feel better, go ahead." With that, she turned and quickly

a daze, feeling as if all the strength had

someone kicked his chair hard from behind. Turning around, Clifford found a few old friends eyeing him with obvious malice. "Hey, errand boy, go grab coffees for all of us from that café on North Street," Laird

flashed through his mind he and Laird had treated Citrine the same way once, bossing her around, ordering her to do

humiliated her as if she were

to Citrine, the sting of humiliation from these guys didn't feel quite so sharp. Almost

used to respond to their ridiculous demands, and said, "I'll head out now.