The Second Life of a Discarded Heiress

Chapter 613

He had no idea Manley and Citrine had known each other for so long.

Raymond pressed his lips together, his face tight with pain.

How could he blame Manley for anything? As Citrine's own father, he'd failed to find his daughter when she needed him most, absent from every important moment of her life. He should have been the one to protect her, but when the crisis came, it was his daughter who ended up protecting him. He felt like a complete failure.

Raymond's face was ashen as he slumped in the hospital waiting room, his brow furrowed in agony. Pain contorted his features, sweat beading on his forehead. But even as the discomfort became unbearable, not a sound escaped him.

Manley waited, expecting Raymond to lash out at him, but the reprimand never

came.

When Manley glanced over again, he saw just how frail Raymond looked. "What's wrong with you?" Manley frowned.

Raymond barely managed to lift his eyelids, forcing out a low, "It's nothing."

But before he could finish, a violent cough wracked his body. Suddenly, blood burst from his mouth, splattering across the gleaming, polished floor.

His strength gave out completely.

Manley's eyes widened in shock as he lunged forward to catch

of the Carmichaels scrambled to call for

the doctor finally let out a relieved

worry," he reassured them. "Mr. Carmichael's collapsed from acute distress and emotional shock. He'll

that, Raymond was moved to a

dreams kept looping back and forth-one moment he saw Citrine living with the Iversons,

in a cold sweat, just as he always did with these nightmares. But this time, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't wake

his dream, Raymond suddenly saw Theo and Sawyer Iverson standing quietly

He tried

he could focus,

lying there, force yanked him

into

he looked up-and froze at the sight of

lay there, an oxygen tube fitted to her nose, an IV dripping into her arm. Her

Why was Citrine

thought struck him, and he forced

or Theo. Instead, his eyes went straight past them to