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?

fists so tightly her nails bit into her palms. She wanted

and Citrine had already arrived at

auditorium—just the two

the empty rows of seats, she paused

amusement. So this was the depth of his

But Citrine's lips curled up in

had planned to watch a horror movie-his favorite. But at the last minute, for reasons he couldn't explain, he switched to a romantic

began, both sat facing the giant screen. Citrine looked

glanced over, caught the stiffness in his posture, and chuckled. "Nervous?" “Not at all,”

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

just smiled,

with Kali before and

been playing for a while that he finally began to

on the screen, but Hastings found himself stealing glances at her whenever he thought she wouldn't

light came from the huge screen, painting shifting patterns

her profile,

turned to look at him. "Why are you watching me instead

movie boring,