The Second Life of a Discarded Heiress

Chapter 349

Hastings didn't seem the least bit annoyed.

He looked at Citrine with a small smile. "How about we grab dinner together, Instructor Carmichael?"

Citrine hesitated, about to refuse, when out of the corner of her eye she caught sight of Kali standing not far behind Hastings.

She let her lips curl into a slight smile and changed her mind on the spot.

"Sounds great," she replied cheerfully.

Hastings's eyes lit up, genuine surprise flickering across his face. "Does this mean we're calling it even?"

"Of course." Citrine nodded, her expression pleasant even as she scoffed inwardly.

Meanwhile, Kali watched the exchange, stunned. She'd always been able to twist Hastings around her little finger, but now, here he was-beaming at Citrine like an overexcited kid.

The way Hastings looked at Citrine, there was no mistaking it: pure infatuation.

Why her? Kali's face twisted, her jealousy impossible to hide.

If Hastings had fallen for someone else, maybe she could have stomached it. But Citrine? Of all people—after just a month of training?

her fists so tightly her nails bit into her palms.

Citrine had already

two of them, no one

saw the empty rows of seats, she paused for a moment, then

must be smitten, she thought with a wry amusement. So this was the depth of his feelings

was dimly lit, shadows blending into silence. But Citrine's

planned to watch a horror movie-his favorite. But at the last minute,

the giant screen. Citrine looked perfectly at ease, while Hastings, sitting beside her,

the stiffness in his posture, and chuckled. "Nervous?" “Not at all,” Hastings replied

could deny it all he wanted, but the veins standing out on his

smiled,

what was wrong. He'd watched movies with Kali before and never felt anywhere

wasn't until the film had been playing for a while

but Hastings found himself stealing glances at

huge screen, painting

watched her profile, completely

at him. "Why are you watching me instead of

boring, or