The Second Life of a Discarded Heiress

Chapter 550

Monica froze, and a sudden realization drained the color from her face.

After a brief hesitation, she spoke, voice trembling. "I... I told her that our family, the Saunders, and especially my aunt-we've been searching for her for years.”

Seeing the stern look on Raymond's face, Monica decided to come clean, recounting more or less everything she'd said that day.

She understood now that she'd been wrong.

When she finished, Monica looked at Raymond and apologized without prompting. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said those things."

Raymond listened, his brow furrowing deeper with every word.

He said nothing for a long moment. Then, suddenly, he spoke. "I don't mind the Saunders wanting to get close to her. But from now on, don't tell her things that'll cause her more pain."

Monica and Wade both nodded quickly. "We won't."

After they spoke, Raymond added, almost as an afterthought, "She's struggling with severe depression. There have been times when she's had suicidal thoughts."

The entire Saunders family stared at him, shock and distress written across every face.

Raymond glanced around the room, then continued, "She hurt herself in high school. It nearly killed her."

heavy thud as Hilda collapsed onto

white. For a moment, she looked like she could barely breathe. Oh God, what

others wore matching

loses control, she can't

her distance from you, tries so hard to break the connection-it's not just because she's guarded or hurting. Part of it is that she's afraid of

her life, then don't bring up anything that might set her off. Give her time. Let her go at

and Inez wiped tears from their eyes, looking at Raymond with gratitude. "Thank you

at the older couple, then at Hilda,

.n

can love her and protect her, just like the

family, too.

her habits,

about Citrine her likes and dislikes. Only when he'd finished did

woke up, her mood had settled

at the table, surprised to see a simple meal-a few dishes and a warm bowl of

guessed that

and found to her surprise that it tasted

and her appetite only grew. In the end, she finished everything