The Second Life of a Discarded Heiress

Chapter 427

Citrine blinked in surprise, not expecting that to be Hilda's concern.

She pressed her lips together and said quietly, "Don't worry about me. I can take care of myself. The Glenwood family can't do anything to me."

Hilda gave a cold snort, her eyes flashing dangerously.

The steely side of her-the one she used to take charge at work-slipped out as she growled, "Relax. As long as I'm around, if he ever tries anything, he'll have to answer to me first. I don't care if I have to go down with the Glenwoods."

Aunt, calm down, you're going to scare Citrine.

Monica, fighting back her own fear of her aunt, kept pinching Hilda's thigh under the table to warn her. But Hilda was too worked up to notice; she even pinched Monica's hand, hard, in annoyance.

Monica yanked her hand back, her face twisted in pain, red nail marks blooming across her skin.

Right now, Hilda's entire world was her daughter.

She stared at Citrine, silently cursing the Glenwood family and all their ancestors for eight generations.

If they thought they could bully her precious girl, old Talbot must have lost his mind. She wondered if the Glenwoods had already picked out a coffin for that fossil-if not, she'd be happy to supply one herself.

Citrine, meanwhile, was watching Hilda intently, silent and unmoving.

Citrine's gaze, her face going stiff as she self-consciously touched her own cheek. "Why... why are

then it hit

God. She'd done it

her path. That fierce expression must have scared Citrine

younger kids in the family ran from her like frightened mice made Hilda's heart sink. Her daughter was so sweet, so gentle-there was no way

only blurt out, "Citrine, I'm not usually like this, I swear...

shocked to stop her

Hilda finished, both women looked anxiously to Citrine,

face betrayed nothing. The tension in the room eased just a little as Monica

Citrine quietly set down her fork. The

smile she'd worn was gone, replaced by a cold, unreadable

icy. "I think

Hilda and Monica

as she tried to keep her composure. She hadn't wanted to upset her daughter,

"No, that's not true. Citrine, you are my

"Look at us. We look

"Plenty of people in the world look alike. I'm not

head, refusing to accept it. "No. I know my own daughter.

stared at Citrine, remembering all the times she'd imagined their reunion. Never, not once, had she pictured