The Second Life of a Discarded Heiress

Chapter 340

A single, decidedly unflattering comment left Hastings blushing in an instant.

Citrine's laughter was dazzling, and for a moment, Hastings couldn't tear his eyes away. By the time he realized he was staring, even the tips of his ears had turned pink.

The room erupted into applause for him.

"Captain, you're incredible!" someone called out.

Noticing the growing flush in his cheeks, another teammate nudged closer. "Hey, Captain, are you coming down with something? Your face is bright red."

"Even your ears are red!" another chimed in.

"Oh, cut it out," Hastings shot back, pushing them away.

Almost reflexively, he turned to look straight at Citrine.

She was watching him too.

as a tack, always attuned to people's moods. Now, she gave

back when, out of nowhere, Citrine quipped,

smile vanished in an instant, but the

moved on, shifting her focus to put each team

made noticeable

of simulated military drills, helping the team

both sides, analyzing strategies and counter-strategies. She'd even explain

end of the month, the real combat drill against the

before the group-not mocking, not aloof, but genuinely focused. She gave

she said, "You've all done an outstanding job these past

despite the team's initial resentment, in this moment,

stinging eyes. Somehow, all the exhaustion and hardship suddenly

you, instructor," someone

never have pushed past our limits," another added. "You

Citrine had pushed them hard-sometimes to the point of breaking, sometimes calling them useless they all knew, deep down, there was a reason for everything

her training, everyone's skills had sharpened, and their temperaments had steadied. Hastings, especially, had grown into the role of a true