The Second Life of a Discarded Heiress

Chapter 623

A moment ago, the little girl's face was clouded with sorrow, but in the blink of an eye, something shifted-now her eyes glimmered with a trace of resentment.

How could a child so young swing between emotions so quickly, and harbor such complicated thoughts? The more Hilda watched her, the more uneasy she felt.

She kept a close eye on the girl's expressions, searching for some clue, but before she could make sense of the sudden change, the child's innocent, sing- song voice broke the silence.

"Mommy, since you've become a beautiful star, why can't you take me with you?"

"I want to be a star too. Then I wouldn't be cold anymore, or hurt so much."

Her voice was soft and fragile, filled with desperate hope. For all its childishness, the words hit Hilda like a punch to the gut.

Suddenly, a man's rough, drunken yelling shattered the quiet of the living room.

"What's with all the noise? Shut your trap, or I swear I'll toss you in the fryer!" His voice was harsh, thick with anger.

up on the balcony

from the cold, her stomach aching with hunger. Gritting her teeth, she summoned her courage and called out, "Please... I'm

man, half-gone with whiskey, grew even

not dead,

floor, the glass shattering with

slowly lost their light. She knew what came

just this once the man might have a

room. He flung open the balcony

without food and you're

to sleep, out here on the balcony-that's more than you deserve! Try asking

and boots rained down with merciless force. He didn't stop until Citrine's sobs faded and she lay limp and silent

stunned. She hadn't expected the man to be so cruel-even

she glanced at the girl's motionless

fluttered open. She looked toward the living room, waited until she was

to the far corner of the balcony, where the wind