The Second Life of a Discarded Heiress

Chapter 603

Hearing what the Carmichaels and Hilda said, Citrine felt a sudden ache in her chest-a deep, unfamiliar sting.

She remembered how she used to be: always guarded, suspicious, never willing to trust anyone completely.

But now, standing on the knife-edge between life and death, seeing so many people willing to risk everything just so she could live, Citrine realized at last- they truly loved her.

She was no longer some pitiful, unloved orphan. In this life, she had parents and family who cherished her. She had known so much love-more than she ever imagined possible.

This warmth, this belonging, was something she'd never tasted in her previous life, not even as she lay dying. To think she'd finally found it now.

Citrine stood frozen, unable to move. Talbot's patience was wearing thin; he frowned irritably and called out in a warning tone, "Citrine Carmichael, you know who these men in camouflage are, don't you? They're mercenaries I hired from overseas. You've seen what they're capable of."

He gestured sharply toward the building across the street. "Take a look."

Citrine followed his gaze, her heart sinking as she understood.

Talbot gave a chilling smile. "I have snipers stationed over there. If you try anything, all it takes is a twitch of their finger and you'll have a bullet in your skull."

his eyes on her. "Self-preservation is human nature. Look, none of them blame you. Pull

you get to walk away alive." His voice was low, coaxing, as if tempting

whatever it takes to survive-even if it means turning a gun on

the core of human

lifetime of manipulating people, was confident

the building across the street. Her instincts were razor-sharp; she'd already pinpointed the sniper's nest after just

began silently counting

threatening. "Citrine Carmichael, if you don't start moving, the

vanished as she screamed, voice raw

you-shoot!"

her on, "Citrine, pull the trigger. If

it. I'm not afraid to

afraid, Citrine. None of us will blame you. You're carrying all of us forward-live for our

"Citrine, I'm sorry. I should have protected you. Go ahead and shoot, sis. I'm not

burned in Citrine's eyes as she tightened her grip on

his mouth to speak, Theo Glenwood, unable to stay