The Second Life of a Discarded Heiress

Chapter 425

Citrine was the name Hilda had chosen for her daughter long before she was born.

Even before the baby's first heartbeat, Hilda had already decided: her little girl would be called Citrine.

On the day Citrine was born, Hilda crafted a delicate silver locket for her newborn. She engraved the name "Citrine" into the metal herself—a simple, loving promise for her daughter's future.

But when her daughter disappeared, that locket vanished with her.

Now, a surge of emotion washed over Hilda as she looked at Monica, her voice turning grave. "Send me her information," she said.

Monica had been waiting for this moment, her heart leaping with hope. "Aunt Hilda, I already sent you her file ages ago. You just never checked it."

Hilda's expression faltered for a moment, but she quickly masked it and opened their message thread. Sure enough, there it was-Citrine's profile.

She tapped it open, and before she could even scroll down, a photograph caught her breath.

A young woman smiled at the camera, her high ponytail bouncing with youthful energy.

Hilda's gaze lingered on the girl's face.

the shape of her eyes-she

at her filled Hilda with a warmth she'd never known before, a sense of belonging that

"Can I meet her?" Even though

with urgency. "I want to see her now." Deep inside, she was convinced this

hesitated, rising from her seat. "It might not be so easy," she admitted, glancing at Hilda with

realized I wanted to

"If I hadn't pushed so hard, I wouldn't have scared

“Wait! Aunt Hilda, Sylvia told me Citrine studies at Crestwood

"Sylvia said Citrine's

Her longing to see her daughter overwhelmed everything else. "Let's

Hilda's assistant appeared, bowing slightly. "President Saunders, our international clients are asking when we'll be ready to begin. They're

way. "We're not starting," she replied coolly. "Tell them

partnership another time. I have more important matters to deal with. And apologize-tell them'm 1. willing to offer concessions. But if they walk

C. Corp with Monica at

headed straight

Monday, and most students were in class; the campus lawns and walkways were nearly

their hands, Hilda and Monica wandered

nearly every corner.