The Second Life of a Discarded Heiress

Chapter 513

Compared to Monica and Wade, Hilda's face was unreadable; if anything, her expression had grown a shade darker.

Wade and Monica exchanged a puzzled glance before Wade finally spoke up. “Aunt Hilda, shouldn't you be happy for your niece? Citrine's accomplished so much-why do you look so grim?"

As their words faded, Citrine, too, turned to Hilda in confusion, her eyes searching her mother's face.

Noticing her daughter's bewildered gaze, Hilda gave a bitter smile. "My poor Citrine she must have suffered so much over the years."

She went on quietly, "If Citrine's only this outstanding because she's endured so much hardship, then I almost wish she'd grown up a rebellious child who didn't care about grades or 'success.' I'd rather she be ordinary and happy than brilliant and hurting."

Aside from what had happened to Citrine overseas, Hilda had investigated every detail of her daughter's life back home.

Before turning three, Citrine had been taken away by a middle-aged man—a drunken gambler who abused her and forced her to scavenge for scraps to feed them both.

Then, she'd been adopted by Sawyer Iverson. For less than a year, life seemed to improve, until Sawyer brought Aline and her daughter home. From then on, peace vanished from Citrine's life. At eleven, the Iverson family eventually sent her away to Mirage Cay.

Though Hilda's contacts hadn't been able to uncover what had happened to Citrine on Mirage Cay, she knew all too well the island's reputation. The horrors there were said to make even her difficult life at home seem mild by comparison.

such circumstances, Citrine's excellence could only have been forged by necessity. People saw her poise, her achievements, but only she knew how

trembling as if she couldn't

that strength was

to be exceptional and useful, or else

her achievements; she cared only about whether

moment, Citrine felt the warmth of a mother's love—something she'd

Citrine looked away, uneasy and awkward.

guilt and pain flickering in her eyes, but when she looked up again, she was composed, the mask firmly back

annual charity gala

reached a point in her career where attending such

project still expanding,

size up business leaders, and decide where to extend

CEO of the CICI Group, but she was also the top research specialist at the World's leading medical institute. Tonight, the number of guests seeking her favor

sneak in. Their reputations in Crestwood had been in tatters since Scales's

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