The Second Life of a Discarded Heiress

Chapter 608

Citrine caught a glimpse of Talbot's movement out of the corner of her eye. She paused for a moment before turning away and speaking, her voice calm but cold.

"Talbot, I know you've given up on life. But I suggest you think about your son. If you lay a finger on anyone, your son will go down as your accomplice. He'll be executed right along with you."

Talbot stiffened, his hands freezing mid-motion. Whatever fight he had left seemed to drain out of him in an instant; he looked as if he'd aged a decade in the span of a breath.

Just then, several members of the Vermillion Vanguard came down from the sniper's perch, moving with crisp precision as they approached Citrine. They stopped before her and raised their hands in salute.

"Boss."

"Well done." Citrine nodded, her voice warm yet authoritative.

Hastings Cooper stood nearby with the others, but unlike the rest-whose eyes shone with awe and respect-his gaze was fixed solely on Citrine, intense and burning.

The details of this mission had been kept tightly under wraps. The higher-ups had only said it was a rescue operation, with the Boss working in tandem from inside. Hastings hadn't realized the truth until he spotted Citrine's face from the sniper's nest and couldn't help but ask the seasoned veterans beside him. They, all loyal subordinates of the Boss, had told him everything.

Until that moment, Hastings had never imagined that Citrine was actually Boss C -the legendary, undefeated leader of the Vermillion Vanguard.

always been in business, and as the only son, Hastings had faced no small amount of pressure when he insisted on enlisting. But his one driving goal in joining the Vermillion Vanguard had always been

to reverence.

Talbot by the collar and shoved him toward one of the Vanguard soldiers. "Keep him

soldier caught Talbot and

did Hastings snap back to the present, realizing that the ringleader in

"That other

found Theo staring

face, his voice tight and pale with disbelief. "Theo? Why? Why did you and Mr. Glenwood

hung his head,

darkened as he dragged Theo forward, disappointment heavy in every line of his posture. The two stood side by side, both looking utterly defeated-neither better

them quietly, her

closest friend; the other had just been arrested

wondered what must be going through their

it, Sherman appeared, leading a group of Vanguard

from a distance, his

might not know, but everyone in the unit rookies and