The Second Life of a Discarded Heiress

Chapter 308

She stared straight at Hastings, her eyes wide and searching. In a careful, almost timid voice, she asked, "Hastings, you once told me I was the most important person in your life. I just want to know... am I still?"

Kali's gaze was deadly serious, brimming with a desperate need for reassurance.

Hastings couldn't quite figure out why she was asking this now. He hesitated, then finally replied, "Of course you are."

Relief washed over Kali the moment she heard the answer she'd been hoping for. A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips, but she quickly swapped it for a pout, putting on her best wounded expression as she complained, "Hastings, you have no idea how awful that freshman you're mentoring-Citrine Carmichael- has been."

At the mention of that familiar name, Hastings' eyebrows rose. "Citrine Carmichael? What did she do?"

Kali perked up instantly, all too eager to spill the details. She pulled out her phone and handed it to him. "She sent me a video of you two sparring."

"And..." Kali hesitated, as if what came next was too humiliating to say out loud, "she said some pretty nasty things about you."

Hastings took her phone and clicked on the video. It was from a month ago— footage of his training session with Citrine.

noticed the string of messages Citrine had sent along

dog's loyal,

to Sebastian,

Sebastian is so gentle and thoughtful. There was this one time... He actually pulled me into his arms because he was

more outraged, huffed, "Did you see that? Not only did she call you a

and nothing got under his skin faster than hearing someone say he wasn't as good as Sebastian. The

silence, Kali leaned in, fanning the flames, "Seriously, she's gone way too far. How can she

steel, eyes locked on the screen, the lines of text

that what truly drove Hastings to the edge wasn't being called a dog.

between

her? When had they gotten that

urge welled up

his expression, Kali's worry spiked.